President Lee: "Middle East Crisis Poses Obstacle to Transition to Renewable-Centered Energy System"

President Lee Jae-myung met with Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), at Cheong Wa Dae.

During the meeting, President Lee said, "With the energy crisis escalating worldwide, the International Energy Agency must have many concerns," and pledged, "The Republic of Korea will spare no international cooperation regarding the International Energy Agency's strategic policies."

In particular, he assessed, "While we are also in the process of broadly overhauling our energy system to center on renewable energy, the energy crisis triggered by the recent Middle East crisis has created a major obstacle to this transition."

He added, "The Republic of Korea is also at a critical juncture," noting, "As a sense of crisis regarding energy is likely running high around the world, I ask for your valuable perspectives on response directions and how the situation may unfold going forward."

Executive Director Birol responded, "'Electrification' is emerging as an important policy as part of energy security, and I look very favorably upon the Korean government placing such electrification at the center of its policy."

Electrification refers to converting energy consumption patterns from fossil fuels such as oil or coal to electric energy.

"Achieving this electrification target will not only help Korea's sovereignty and economy, but will also contribute to responding to the climate crisis," he added, stating, "I thank President Lee for demonstrating visionary leadership."

(Photo: Cheong Wa Dae Press Corps, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.