The Republic of Korea is making dedicated efforts toward sustainable development at the national level, including the enactment of the Framework Act on Sustainable Development, the establishment and operation of the National Commission on Sustainable Development, the formulation of national strategies, the conduct of sustainability assessments, and the preparation of national reports.
In June 2000, the Korean government proclaimed the New Millennium Vision for the National Environment, marking its first decisive steps toward sustainable development. As a follow-up measure, the Commission on Sustainable Development was established as a presidential advisory body in September 2000 to oversee all matters related to sustainable national development.
In October 2006, Korea adopted the First National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2006–2010), its first integrated strategy and action plan encompassing the economy, society, and environment, which included 4 major strategies, 48 implementation tasks, and 238 specific measures.
In August 2007, the Framework Act on Sustainable Development was promulgated and later entered into force in February 2008, thereby establishing a legislative mechanism for ensuring sustainable development.
Since then, Korea has consistently formulated a basic plan for sustainable development once every five years, under which it has pursued the aforementioned implementation tasks. Furthermore, it conducts biennial sustainability assessments to prepare national reports on the matter.
With the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015, which cover economic, social, and environmental dimensions to ensure global sustainability, the Korean government adopted the Korean Sustainable Development Goals (K-SDGs) in 2018. Through the K-SDGs, Korea integrates sustainability into its policies and strives to advance sustainability across all sectors of society.