Sustainability

Can Busan Power Its AI Future Without Clean Energy?

As Busan markets itself as Korea’s next AI and data hub, its energy system tells another story — one dominated by nuclear and imported LNG. With renewables under 3%, the city’s digital ambitions risk colliding with the realities of RE100 compliance and carbon-border regulation.

9 min read

The Forgotten Farmers Behind Korea’s Rice Price Debate

Rising market prices have not translated into higher farm incomes. With fertiliser and labour costs outpacing gains, farmers remain on the brink. Treating rice only as a consumer story risks undermining the very sector that ensures food security.

7 min read

Nakdonggang Estuary: How Busan’s Growth Sacrificed Korea’s Largest Wetlands

Busan’s Nakdonggang estuary has lost 60% of its wetlands to development. Can sustainability still guide the city’s future?

9 min read

Can Nakdonggang River Survive Rising Heat and Mega-Urban Projects?

Rising temperatures, heavier floods, and urban expansion converge on the Nakdonggang River estuary, where decades of data reveal climate and ecological stress.

21 min read

South Korea’s Fresh Food Is Slipping Out of Reach

As heatwaves and floods hit crops, fresh vegetables and fruit in Korea now cost more than ultra-processed alternatives—reshaping diets, widening health gaps, and challenging food security.

5 min read

Inside Korea’s Push for Climate-Resilient Farming

Smart farms promise steady harvests, but without renewable power, shared infrastructure, and sustainable business models, the technology may not withstand the very climate shocks it is meant to defeat.

7 min read

State-Led Urbanism and Its Discontents

Eco Delta City was marketed as South Korea’s next-generation urban innovation zone. What unfolded was something else entirely—soil contamination, missing utilities, and housing priced out of reach. Built by public agencies, developed for private gain.

12 min read

How Media Misleads on Korea’s Rising Rice Prices

The rise in rice prices is being falsely attributed to government policies, overlooking the deeper issues of market inefficiencies and supply chain weaknesses.

8 min read

The Korean Peninsula Faces Heat, Crop Stress, and Import Risks in 2025

Global forecasts show 2025 will be one of the hottest summers on record. As glaciers melt and harvests shrink, the link between climate change and food insecurity becomes alarmingly real.

7 min read

How the Vegan Trend Masks a New Kind of Food Inequality

Trendy vegan cafés are thriving in Korean cities, but they may be eclipsing more practical, affordable, and ecologically grounded food traditions. What’s lost when clean eating becomes a brand — and who gets left behind?

7 min read

South Korea’s Forests Are Aging. What Comes Next?

The trees that helped rebuild postwar Korea are now in decline. Can the country reimagine its forests for a hotter, more volatile climate?

7 min read

Can the 15-Minute City Climb? Rethinking Urban Equity in the Hills of Busan

As the 15-minute city model spreads, Busan tests its limits—facing elevation, equity, and the future of urban design.

3 min read