"35,000 Premature Deaths by 2054 When South Korea Ends Coal-Fired Power Plants"

[경향신문]

A study showed that the number of premature deaths (deaths before the life expectancy) due to air pollution from coal-fired power plants in South Korea could reach up to 35,000 by 2054. The ensuing socio-economic costs, such as health problems and reduction of productivity, are expected to reach up to 58 trillion won.

On April 19, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) released a report on health and economic costs due to South Korea’s reliance on coal-fired power plants, and calculated the socio-economic costs and health impacts according to the time period when coal-fired power plants are in operation in the nation. The report analyzed the period from 1983, when South Korea began operating large 500+㎿coal-fired power plants, to 2054, when the new coal-fired power plants will reach the end of their operation period (30 years).

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air is a global research institute on air pollution located in Finland. The Centre supports the transition to clean energy by governments and businesses based on scientific data and research results.

According to the latest report, researchers found that up to 13,000 people died prematurely from 1983 to 2020 due to air pollution emitted from coal-fired power plants in South Korea. They estimated that up to 22,000 more people would die prematurely by 2054 when the seven new coal-fired power plants currently under construction will cease to operate.

The report estimated that an average of 720 people die prematurely every year due to the air pollution from coal-fired power plants in the nation. It also estimated that the pollutants are the cause of over 230 cases of asthma in children, over 80 premature births, and over 370 asthma-related visits to the emergency room every year. They expected the cause of premature deaths to be heart disease (30%), respiratory infection (11%), and pulmonary disease (8%).

Since coal-fired power plants are concentrated near the Seoul metropolitan area including Dangjin, Taean, Yeongheung and Boryeong in Chungcheongnam-do and Ongjin in Incheon, 45% of the premature deaths were expected to occur among Seoul and Gyeonggi residents.

In the report, researchers estimated up to 24.6 trillion won in socio-economic costs due to disease control and reduced labor productivity due to the air pollution from coal-fired power plants from 1983 until 2020. They analyzed that the nation might have to shoulder up to 32.4 trillion won of additional costs by 2054.

Since air pollution from coal-fired power plants also affect neighboring countries like North Korea, Japan and China, researchers expected over 390 premature deaths, 60 cases of childhood asthma, 90 premature births every year and annual economic damages of 300 billion won overseas. Lauri Myllyvirta, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said, “The latest research shows the price South Korea will have to pay for investing in coal,” and argued that South Korea should quickly shift to renewable energy in order to reduce the costs and the number of premature deaths.