South Korea Aims to Establish Nationwide "Energy Expressway" by 2040s

Strategic Insights -

The South Korean government plans to establish a nationwide "energy expressway" by the 2040s as part of efforts to address soaring demand for electricity driven by the growth of artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative involves building high-voltage direct current (HVDC) infrastructure across the nation, which will help integrate renewable energy from different sources. The project is part of the presidential state affairs planning committee's policy road map for the Lee Jae Myung administration. Under the plan, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will first construct advanced infrastructure along the west coast, which will house renewable energy clusters, in the 2030s, before extending it to the south and east coasts to form a U-shaped energy corridor covering the entire nation by the 2040s.

Key Takeaways:

  • The "energy expressway" project aims to establish a nationwide HVDC infrastructure by the 2040s to address growing demand for electricity driven by AI and expand the use of renewable energy.
  • The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will construct advanced infrastructure along the west coast in the 2030s, housing renewable energy clusters, before extending it to the south and east coasts.
  • The government plans to expand the total length of transmission lines by more than 30 percent, from 37,169 circuit kilometers (ckm) to 48,592 ckm, by 2030.
  • The project aligns with the government's goal of boosting the nation's renewable energy capacity to over 78 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 from the current 35.1 GW.
  • The envisioned energy expressway will play a key role in reshaping South Korea's industrial landscape, energy flows, and regional economies.
  • The government will also work to develop the climate technology industry into a new growth engine for the economy.

Statistics:

  • Current total length of transmission lines: 37,169 circuit kilometers (ckm)
  • Planned expansion of transmission lines: more than 30 percent to 48,592 ckm by 2030
  • Current renewable energy capacity: 35.1 GW
  • Government's goal for 2030: over 78 gigawatts (GW)
  • Planned year for completion of energy expressway: 2040s

Sources:

  • Yonhap News Agency, August 13, 2025
  • Lee Jae Myung administration's policy road map (no specific date mentioned)