Kim et al. v. POSCO

This is a civil claim brought by South Korean youths against POSCO to stop the relining of the No. 2 blast furnace at Gwangyang Steelworks. The plaintiffs seek an injunction to halt the project, arguing that the project will extend carbon-intensive steel production for 15 years, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and infringing their constitutional rights to a healthy environment and life. They rely on Article 35 of the Constitution and environmental statutes, asserting that monetary compensation cannot remedy the irreversible harms of climate change. Most plaintiffs live in steel-producing regions, including two living near the furnace. They contend that the relining exceeds socially tolerable environmental limits, breaches POSCO’s ESG commitments, and violates domestic and international carbon reduction obligations. They highlight the availability of low-carbon alternatives, such as electric arc furnace technology, and argue that continuing the project at issue prevents Korea from meeting the 1.5°C target and its national carbon budgets. The plaintiffs further emphasize the broader impact of POSCO’s emissions, noting that the relining would add roughly 9.1 MtCO₂ to the sector’s already substantial output, threatening local communities, future generations, and national industrial competitiveness. After the case was filed, in March 2025, POSCO officially disclosed plans for a partial relining only, effectively shortening the furnace’s expected lifespan to 8 years.