Assessing the Level of Energy Security for South Koreas Future Energy Transition Pathways - The Co-benefits of Climate Change Policies -

Abstract

This study aimed to quantitatively assess the different levels of energy security in South Korea for various energy pathways that it may choose to follow in the future. It starts by identifying and categorizing the factors that define the various dimensions of South Koreas energy security primarily by examining issues that revolve around South Koreas current and future energy systems. Scenarios were selected to assess energy security levels for South Koreas future energy pathways under the conditions that they were comprehensive, acceptable, viable, and posed implicatins at the same time. Indicators were selected and categorized based on several criteria including their affiliation with the scenarios, data availability, validity in the literature, and perhaps most importantly, in context with the risks prevalent in South Koreas current and future energy system. Indicator values obtained from the scenario projections were calculated based on proven metrics from past studies, which were then converted to ordinal values via minimum-maximum normalization to allow for an integrated and comparative assessment. The results of the study revealed clear signs of changes in the levels of energy security depending on the different pathways taken as represented by each of the scenarios.