Framing Climate Change as an Economic Opportunity in South Korean Newspapers

Abstract

Based on newspaper content analysis, the Korean press (2007-08) accepts the anthropogenic argument—that humans have caused and are responsible for climate change. News articles stress the ecological effects of climate change and the need to mitigate and to reduce emissions through government policies. Compared to other countries, however, one point stands out—the Korean press frames mitigation as an economic opportunity, not a threat. Moreover, businesses cited in the news strongly support this idea. However, citing government and business sectors, the conservative and financial newspapers tend to define this opportunity as selling Korean nuclear power technology and green technology abroad. These papers rarely represent voices that advocate structural change in Korean society to reduce its emissions. This particular stance on mitigation as an economic opportunity results from the vulnerability of the Korean export economy to international pressures, coupled with government and business attempt to find a viable export option under the mitigation rationale.