Research on Setting the Priority on the Polar Challenges

Abstract

After gaining the Arctic Council Observer status in 2013, the Korean Government established the 1st Masterplan for the Arctic policy (2013-2017) as a follow-up action in the same year. The 2nd Masterplan for the second term (2018-2022) was adopted in July, 2018. Then, the Ministry of Ocean and Fishery (MOF) declared a statement during the Arctic Partnership Week in December, 2018 on the "2050 Polar Vision" to provide a long-term Arctic policy vision. This study reviews Korea's Arctic Policies in terms of historical perspectives, and analyzed the differences between the 1st Masterplan (2013) and the 2nd Masterplan (2018) from the vision to action-plans. Korea's Arctic Policy Model is developed as a part of the study, based on the categories of the policy contents of the "2050 polar vision". As the next step, after identifying the changes in the direction of governmental-level policy between 2013 and 2018 masterplan, the study deducted perspectives, and implications based on those changes. Through expert-questionnaire analysis, the study sets the priority on the polar 20 challenges including Climate Change, Ecosystem Change, and Arctic Shipping, and suggests Korea's future Arctic policy directions. Furthermore, considering the governmental policy change, the study suggests how the policy can provide responses for the domestic stakeholders, including R&D, Industries, and Academia.