South Korean farmers sue KEPCO over climate damage, citing fossil fuel use and 20–25% crop losses.

South Korean farmers, including rice grower Hwang Seong-yeol, have filed the country’s first climate lawsuit against state power utility KEPCO, blaming its fossil fuel reliance for climate change that has damaged crops. The plaintiffs say extreme weather has cut yields by 20% to 25%, and they seek $3,400 each in damages, arguing KEPCO’s subsidiaries contributed 0.4% of global emissions from 2011 to 2022. The case highlights the growing conflict between industrial energy use and agricultural vulnerability amid South Korea’s heavy coal dependence and limited renewable energy.