The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE, Minister Kim Sunghwan) announced that Vice Minister Lee Hohyeon will attend the 2025 G7 Energy and Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Toronto, Canada, from October 30 to 31 at the invitation of Canada, the G7 chair country for this year. 

In this meaningful year marking the 50th anniversary of the G7, Korea will attend the meeting for the first time in four years since being invited to and participating in the 2021 G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ Meeting hosted by the United Kingdom.   

Building on the outcomes of the G7 Summit attended by the President in June, this meeting will serve as a venue to deepen discussions on future multilateral cooperation and strengthen economic collaboration in addressing global issues in the energy and environment sectors, including climate crisis response, energy transition, and energy security. 

The G7 Energy Session will cover topics including Energy and AI, Energy Security, Energy Innovation (Technology Development), and Critical Minerals and Supply Chains. The G7 Environment Session will focus on Global Environment and Climate, G7 Global Environmental Leadership, G7 Environmental Achievements, and G7 Leadership in Marine and Coastal Areas. During the Joint G7 Energy and Environment Session, discussions will center on action plans to achieve both energy security and sustainability, as well as a mid- to long-term vision for cooperation in the energy and environment sectors by 2030.

Korea plans to announce the establishment of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment in October as part of its efforts to accelerate climate crisis response and energy transition. The country will introduce its renewable energy-centered transformation and “Energy Expressway” plans, expressing its commitment to a decarbonized green transition through the promotion of carbon-neutral industries. In particular, as the chair of APEC this year, Korea will share the outcomes of discussions from the APEC Energy Ministers’ Meeting held in August, which addressed energy security through stable power supply and power grid expansion, and AI-based energy innovation.

During the High-Level Dialogue on Energy and AI, in-depth discussions will take place on responding to and utilizing the expansion of AI technologies. Korea plans to emphasize the need for a stable energy supply for the efficient operation of AI data centers, as well as the importance of integrating AI into energy systems. In particular, to address complex energy challenges, Korea will present its plan to build a “Korean-style Next-Generation Power Grid,” which uses AI to control distributed energy resources and optimize the production, storage, and consumption of electricity through systems such as microgrids. 

In discussions emphasizing energy security, Korea will highlight the importance of building a stable and economical energy system to meet energy demand and protect against various cyber threats, as well as the need to establish a flexible and resilient power infrastructure. To this end, Korea will share its domestic plans to develop an “Energy Expressway” that connects major industrial complexes with renewable energy clusters, along with efforts to advance high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission technology to support this initiative. 

In addition, the Korean government delegation will express its understanding of the urgency and necessity of diversifying supply chains in response to China’s recent strengthening of export controls on rare earth elements. The delegation will also state Korea’s intention to continue cooperation through existing bilateral and multilateral channels with major producers of critical minerals and other key partners. 

Lee Hohyeon, Vice Minister of the MCEE, stated, “The G7 Energy and Environment Ministers’ Meeting is an excellent opportunity to showcase Korea’s climate, energy, and environmental policies and demonstrate the nation’s capabilities.” He added, “We will continue to strengthen cooperation with major countries in various fields such as energy security, climate change, and AI, thereby further enhancing Korea’s global standing.”

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com