South Korean Public, Green Politics, And the Reluctance to Cooperate On the Northeast Asian "Yellow Dust" Issue

Despite an increase in environmental disasters, regionalism in Northeast Asia is too weak to provide an appropriate response to environmental pollution. This paper uses the “yellow dust” issue to look at the underlying causes of a lack of action by the South Korean government to improve regionalism in
Northeast Asia. It argues that although the government does rely on global institutions, it is reluctant to cooperate on the regional air pollution issue. Particularly, it focuses on the South Korean public as a central reason behind the South Korean government’s reluctance to take leadership in creating regional institutions necessary to mitigate climate problems. Due to the disinterest in environmentalism by the South Korean public and the lack of responsibility taken for climate issues, as seen with the “yellow dust” problem, there has not yet been a push for an increase in green politics. Although we do see Green Politics becoming part of the political discourse in South Korea, environmental responsibility needs to occur before Green Politics becomes embedded into the South Korean society. With a lack of true Green Politics,the region’s institutions combatting climate change will remain weak, and the reluctance will remain.