Will Chinese made solar equipment destroy South Korea's forests?

On December 12th, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol criticized Chinese-made solar energy equipment, stating that it could harm South Korea's forests. 

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that China’s green industry has flourished due to international market demand, innovation, and open competition, contributing significantly to combating climate change and enhancing global environmental management.

How large is the forest area in South Korea?

As a mountainous nation, South Korea boasts a forest area of 6.298 million square meters, with a forest stock of 165 cubic meters per square meter and a notable forest coverage rate of 62.7%. However, despite this high coverage, forest resources available for timber production are limited, largely due to the distribution of tree types. Coniferous forests, mainly consisting of pine trees, make up 38.5%, broad-leaved forests account for 33.4%, and mixed forests represent 28.1%. Consequently, South Korea relies heavily on wood imports to meet domestic demand, given its scarcity of natural resources.

Interestingly, South Korea has faced severe forest fires in recent years. For example, in 2019, the country experienced an unprecedented wildfire. More recently, on March 4, 2022, South Korea reported its worst forest fire in a decade, which continued burning for four days. According to Yonhap News Agency, as of March 7, the South Korean Central Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters estimated that approximately 16,800 hectares of forest — an area equivalent to 23,000 football fields — had been destroyed.

The 2019 forest fires in South Korea

According to data from the Korea Energy Agency, South Korea added 1.2GW of solar capacity in the first half of 2024. The agency also projected that the country would install between 2.7GW and 2.8GW of photovoltaic capacity by the end of the year, reflecting a continued market decline since its 2020 peak. Notably, 2.8GW is equivalent to the output of a single project by a Chinese company, making President Yoon Suk-yeol’s remarks seem like a case of "sour grapes" toward what cannot be achieved domestically.

President Yoon Suk-yeol's criticism of solar energy extends beyond environmental concerns. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily on September 14, 2022, the previous Moon Jae-in administration invested around 12 trillion won (about 60.3 billion yuan) in the "power industry infrastructure fund project" over five years to promote solar energy. However, investigations uncovered 2,267 cases of corruption involving 261.6 billion won, with 180 billion won linked to improper loans for solar projects.Authorities found widespread issues such as falsified tax invoices, forged settlement statements, and illegal use of farmland for installations. On September 15, Yoon Suk-yeol vowed to prosecute those responsible and ensure misuse of public funds is punished.

When will the rumors about photovoltaics cease?

President Yoon's concerns may reflect two common misconceptions: "solar radiation" and changes in surface coverage caused by photovoltaic installations.

Firstly, while photovoltaic systems do emit radiation, it is primarily electromagnetic radiation, which is harmless at normal levels. Harmful radiation, such as ionizing radiation (e.g., gamma rays and X-rays), is not produced by solar panels. Everyday devices like phones, TVs, and microwaves also emit low-level electromagnetic radiation without harm. Even sunlight itself is a form of electromagnetic radiation.

Secondly, photovoltaic power plants generate direct current (DC), which does not produce electromagnetic radiation. The inverter emits minimal radiation—about one-tenth that of a mobile phone—posing no threat to forests.

In some poorly planned projects, an excessive push for solar installations has led to land mismanagement and deforestation, harming ecosystems. However, this issue is not inherently caused by Chinese photovoltaic equipment. The responsibility lies with developers who disregard ethical standards and local governments that fail to regulate effectively.

By the end of 2023, China's cumulative grid-connected photovoltaic capacity reached 609.9GW, a 55.3% year-on-year increase, maintaining the global lead for nine consecutive years. Simultaneously, China's forest coverage surpassed 25%, with forest stock exceeding 20 billion cubic meters and an annual carbon sink of over 1.2 billion tons. Additionally, China holds the largest area of artificial forests and continues to lead global greening efforts.

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