Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun, third from left, and Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Park Sang-woo, fourth from left, pose with other dignitaries holding copies of a memorandum of understanding on using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to fuel the country's commercial flights to counter climate change, at Incheon International Airport, Friday. From left are Korea Airports Corp. Executive Vice President Lee Jeong-ki, Korea Petroleum Association Chairman Park Joo-sun, Ahn, Park, Incheon International Airport Corp. President & CEO Lee Hag-jae and Korea Civil Aviation Association Vice Chairman Park Jong-heum. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Starting in 2027, the government will require all airlines in the country to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), as part of efforts to significantly reduce carbon emissions, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Friday.

SAF, made from biomass and captured carbon rather than fossil fuels, is eco-friendly. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), it can cut carbon emissions by up to 80 percent compared to traditional fuels. Additionally, SAF has a chemical composition similar to conventional jet fuels, allowing it to be used in existing aircraft without requiring any mechanical modifications.

The joint initiative coincides with the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) plan to make its Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) mandatory for 193 member states beginning in 2027. Under CORSIA, airlines that produce carbon emissions exceeding 85 percent of the global average from 2019 will be required to purchase carbon offset permits to balance out the excess emissions. To date, 126 ICAO member countries, including Korea, have opted to voluntarily adhere to this scheme.

Under the planned measure, all national airlines will be required to include at least 1 percent SAF in their jet fuels. Given that the country's aviation industry emitted 20 million tons of carbon in 2023, this requirement is expected to reduce emissions by approximately 160,000 tons. According to the industry ministry, this reduction is equivalent to the annual emissions produced by 53,000 vehicles each driving an average of 12,000 kilometers.

To prevent the new requirement from leading to higher airfares due to increased costs, the ministries plan to support airlines with incentives. They will also introduce a new mileage policy designed to encourage greater demand for flights using SAF.

"To retain its position as the global leader in SAF exports and to further enhance its capabilities, Korea must focus on securing a stable supply of sustainable aviation fuel and developing the necessary infrastructure," Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said at Incheon International Airport, Friday, where officials from the ministries gathered with heads of the country's nine airlines and five oil refiners to support the measure. Memorandums of understanding for SAF usage in commercial flights were exchanged between the two ministries, airlines and oil refiners, Incheon International Airport Corp. and Korea Airports Corp.

"To counter climate change and realize the sustainable growth of the country's aviation industry, the usage of SAF is no longer optional but a critical requirement," Transport Minister Park Sang-woo said. "The measure will allow Korea to spearhead the carbon neutralization of the global aviation industry."

Ministers and representatives from the oil refining industry pose during a ceremony for launching the commercial operation of an SAF-fueled airplane at Incheon International Airport, Friday. From left are SK Energy CEO Oh Jong-hoon, S-OIL CEO Anwar Al-Hejazi, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Park Sang-woo, Korean Air President Woo Kee-hong and Incheon International Airport Corp. CEO Lee Hag-jae. Courtesy of S-Oil

On the same day at the airport, S-Oil announced that it signed an agreement with Korean Air to supply SAF for the airline's regular flights between Incheon and Haneda, Japan. According to S-Oil, the agreement will see SAF supplied weekly to Korean Air, marking the first instance in which a domestic refiner will consistently provide locally produced SAF for passenger flights departing from a Korean airport.

"S-Oil is responding actively to transform itself into a clean energy supplier that aligns itself with global decarbonization trends and contributes to building a resource-circular economy," S-Oil CEO Anwar Al-Hejazi said during the event.

"Since we have taken a vital role in refueling SAF onto an international flight for the first time in Korea, we'll do our best to contribute to expanding the green SAF ecosystem, placing our top priority on reliably supplying SAF products."

He added, "S-Oil is actively considering building a dedicated SAF production facility to ensure a stable supply as demand grows, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, we are committed to expanding our efforts in providing other green energy solutions and sustainable resource products."

Additionally, by the end of the year, five other national airlines, including Asiana Airlines and T'way Air, will adopt this practice for their flights to Japan.

With Korean Air's recent use of SAF, Korea has become the 20th country in the world to incorporate sustainable aviation fuel into commercial flights.

Beginning with Norway, which mandated a 0.5 percent SAF blend in 2020, and France, which increased its SAF requirement to 1.5 percent in 2023 from 1 percent the previous year, 19 countries are now using SAF as a strategy to combat climate change. In line with IATA's goal to expand global SAF use to over 18 million tons by 2030, up from 240,000 tons in 2022, several countries have announced plans to boost their SAF consumption.

The European Union has announced that member states will be required to blend at least 2 percent SAF starting in 2025, with the blend increasing to 6 percent by 2030 and 70 percent by 2050. Singapore and India have also set plans to mandate 1 percent SAF, beginning in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Additionally, Japan has committed to using 10 percent SAF by 2030.