韩国计划在今冬更多依赖煤炭，因为中东战争导致液化天然气供应中断，凸显了能源安全问题如何使该国摆脱化石燃料的进程变得复杂。
Korea plans to depend more on coal this winter as supplies of liquefied natural gas are disrupted by the war in the Middle East, underscoring how energy-security concerns are complicating the country’s retreat from fossil fuels.
气候、能源和环境部长金成焕周四在接受采访时表示，政府需要在今冬供暖燃料需求达到峰值时减少天然气消耗，并更多使用煤炭和核能。
The government needs to reduce gas consumption this winter, when demand for heating fuel peaks, and make greater use of coal and nuclear power, Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sungwhan said in an interview on Thursday.
这一政策转变凸显了全球最大化石燃料进口国之一面临的艰难两难：在长期气候目标与波动的能源市场以及高负债国家电力公司的直接经济现实之间取得平衡。
The policy shift highlights a stark dilemma for one of the world’s top fossil fuel importers: balancing long-term climate ambitions with the immediate economic realities of volatile energy markets and a heavily indebted national power company.
“短期来看，我们正处于必须以某种方式减少LNG需求的情形，”金说。“不可避免地，我们必须通过快速扩大可再生能源并更积极地利用核能和煤电来减少天然气使用。”金表示，虽然中东冲突使多元化海外能源供应成为国家安全问题，但最终目标是减少对进口化石燃料的依赖。
“In the short term, we are in a situation where we must somehow reduce LNG demand,” Kim said. “Inevitably, we have to reduce gas usage by rapidly expanding renewables while more actively utilizing nuclear and coal power.”While the Middle East conflict has made diversifying overseas energy suppliers a national security issue, Kim said the ultimate goal is to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
根据国际燃气联盟的数据，韩国去年占全球液化天然气船运量的11%，仅次于中国和日本。美伊战争严重影响了波斯湾的货运流动，使该国面临价格飙升的严重风险。
South Korea took 11% of the world’s LNG shipments last year, according to the International Gas Union, behind only China and Japan. The US-Iran war has severely affected the flow of cargoes from the Persian Gulf, leaving the country heavily exposed to soaring prices.
金表示，更多依赖煤炭和核能并不会改变政府的长期方向——即在向可再生能源转型过程中减少煤炭和液化天然气的消耗。他还表示，绿氢和碳捕捉技术也可能被用于减少燃气发电的排放。
Kim said relying more on coal and nuclear doesn’t alter the government’s long-term direction, which is to reduce both coal and LNG consumption as it shifts to renewables. Green hydrogen and carbon capture may also be used to curb emissions from gas-fired power generation, he said.
金表示，冬季天然气消耗“对电价有相当大的影响”。这可能会给韩国电力公司带来额外压力，因为该公司按市场价格采购燃料，但需在政府管制的电价下向消费者供电。
Winter gas consumption has “a considerable impact on electricity prices,” Kim said. That could put additional pressure on Korea Electric Power Corp., which pays market rates for fuel but sells power to consumers under government-regulated tariffs.
国营公用事业公司仍在修复其资产负债表，此前因俄乌战争引发的能源危机导致全球液化天然气价格飙升。金表示，这次冲击使韩电的累计亏损增加了约30万亿韩元（220亿美元）。
The state-run utility is still repairing its balance sheet following the energy crisis sparked by the Russia-Ukraine war, when global LNG prices surged. Kim said the shock added about 30 trillion won ($22 billion) to Kepco’s accumulated losses.
金表示，韩电在2025年实现合并盈余约13.5万亿韩元，今年预计不会出现亏损。但冬季天然气成本仍将对该公用事业公司的盈利造成压力，政府需要将这一影响降至最低。
Kepco posted a consolidated surplus of about 13.5 trillion won in 2025 and isn’t expected to swing to a deficit this year, Kim said. But winter gas costs will still weigh on the utility’s earnings and the government needs to minimize the impact of that, he said.