South Korea's Offshore Wind Zones Face Loss of Approval Over Military Reviews

Eight zones await military clearance for 85.4 trillion won in projects

Eight offshore wind development zones in South Korea, covering 13,037 megawatts of planned generating capacity and 85.4 trillion won in proposed investment, face losing their government designations because military consultations remain unfinished. As of Oct. 27, none had resolved the military operational issues attached to their approval, with a deadline set for the end of that year.

The investment amounts to about $63.7 billion. The planned capacity is roughly 13 gigawatts, making the dispute consequential for South Korea's offshore wind ambitions. These figures describe proposed developments, with construction and electricity production still dependent on further approvals and investment decisions.

The government newly designated or expanded the eight zones in March on condition that military consultations were completed by year end. Failure to meet that condition could lead to smaller development areas or the complete withdrawal of their designations.

An official with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment's offshore wind promotion task force described the unresolved position:

All eight zones are conducting consultations with their respective military units, but none has reached a resolution," the official said. "If the zones fail to satisfy the designation conditions by the end of the year, we will have to consider revoking their designations.

The central problem is where turbines can safely stand. Military authorities have raised concerns about surveillance equipment, naval navigation, air traffic control and training areas. Some concerns may be addressed with equipment or changes to turbine layouts. Others could require moving the boundaries of an entire development zone.

Why the military review has become harder

Military units that were not initially involved have submitted additional objections as consultations progressed. The Navy has also provided operational assessments for all eight zones. Local governments must now reconcile requirements from several military bodies, whose responsibilities and operating areas can differ.

A wind farm may affect more than one military activity at the same location. A turbine layout that leaves a navigation route open could still create a problem for radar or occupy waters needed for training. Agreement with one unit therefore leaves other operational requirements to be resolved.

Local governments initially selected sites by considering commercial feasibility and acceptance among nearby communities. They lacked complete information about military restrictions, while military authorities face limits on revealing sensitive operating areas.

Developers have consequently been submitting proposed turbine layouts and asking whether the installations would be permitted. That creates a repeated process of proposals, assessments and possible revisions, with the risk that a new objection arrives after other planning work has advanced.

Radar concerns and training areas need different answers

The Ministry of National Defense set out specific concerns in a response sent to South Jeolla Province in June. For the Jeonnam 10 generation project within the Shinan development zone, it warned that turbines could restrict the detection and identification capabilities of maritime surveillance equipment. It also requested secure navigation routes for Navy vessels.

The Air Force warned of possible obstruction to air defense control radar and interference with air traffic control missions. It requested changes to turbine locations or measures that would remove operational restrictions.

Radar helps military personnel detect and track objects. Large turbine structures and their moving blades can complicate that task. Additional equipment may address some detection gaps, although the acceptable solution depends on the military assessment of each location.

Training areas present a different physical constraint. Where the military needs open waters for exercises, installing turbines may be restricted altogether. Moving individual structures may be insufficient if much of a proposed wind zone overlaps with the area needed for training.

What the designation deadline means

The March approvals gave developers a route to advance their projects, but military clearance remained a condition. The government can consider reducing the approved areas or revoking the designations if that condition is unmet. Revocation is a possible outcome, rather than an announced decision for all eight zones.

The Jindo Phase 2 zone faces another unresolved requirement: consultations concerning a maritime boundary dispute. It must address both that issue and military operational concerns within the same deadline.

The main steps in the designation review are:

• March: Eight offshore wind zones were newly designated or expanded, subject to completing military consultations by year end.
• June: The Defense Ministry sent South Jeolla Province requirements concerning surveillance, naval routes and air operations.
• Oct. 27: All eight zones remained under military operational review.
• Late November: North Jeolla Province was considering a new call for developers for its second southwestern expansion zone.
• Year end: Unmet conditions could lead to reductions in designated areas or withdrawal of designations.

The government established an offshore wind promotion task force in December 2025 to support coordination among relevant agencies. The outstanding consultations show the practical task facing that coordination effort: finding locations and layouts that energy developers and military authorities can both accept.

A 6 trillion won project has already lost its lead participant

North Jeolla's southwestern offshore wind expansion phase 2 illustrates how uncertainty over locations and approvals can affect developer selection. The project would install 1 gigawatt of generating capacity in waters near Buan County, with a proposed investment of about 6 trillion won.

Korea Western Power, the lead company in a consortium of seven businesses, expressed its intention to withdraw without prior consultation with the other participants. Uncertainty over military consultations and concerns about commercial viability were cited as possible factors. The decisive reason for its withdrawal has not been confirmed.

The project's 1 gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts, or about 7.7 percent of the 13,037 megawatts planned across all eight zones. Its 6 trillion won investment represents about 7 percent of the combined 85.4 trillion won proposal.

North Jeolla Province subsequently considered a fresh call for proposals in late November. The energy ministry, however, placed its immediate focus on whether military consultations could be completed in time to preserve the zone's designation.

That priority matters to prospective bidders. A replacement developer would inherit the same questions about where turbines can stand and which military requirements must be met. Changing the consortium leaves those location decisions to be settled.

Two laws govern military and maritime checks

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment explained the legal requirements in its February 2026 explanation, issued in response to concerns about an offshore wind project near Busan.

The ministry said the Act on the Protection of Military Bases and Installations requires consultation on military operational suitability during offshore wind development. In plain terms, authorities must assess whether a proposed installation would interfere with military duties.

A second process applies when a project seeks permission to occupy and use public waters. Under the Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act, the authority managing those waters must consult relevant administrative agencies and consider national security and maritime traffic safety.

Busan illustrates why these checks extend beyond the turbine site itself. Concerns there involved naval sea routes, Army and Air Force radar, and safety in waters used by many vessels. The ministry disputed the claim that the project was advancing despite opposition from defense and oceans authorities, saying it would proceed after consultation with the relevant bodies.

A new planning system moves military checks earlier

The ministry's February 2026 statement said the Offshore Wind Power Act would take effect on March 26, 2026. Under the government planning system described in that statement, military operational consultations would take place before a preliminary development zone is designated.

Moving the review earlier changes when developers and local governments learn about restrictions. The eight zones facing conditional approval show the cost of leaving major location questions unresolved while projects are already progressing through a designation process.

The government also said it was providing marine site consulting and pursuing earlier military operational reviews. These measures aim to identify conflicts while sites are being assessed, when moving a proposed boundary or choosing another location may be more practical.

Applications for new designations under the existing offshore wind development zone system effectively ended in March. A project that loses its designation may therefore struggle to reapply through the same route. Other possibilities include proceeding as an individual generation development or converting to a government planned site under the special offshore wind legislation.

Each route still requires military consultation. For developers, local governments and consortium members, the next meaningful step is agreement on acceptable project locations and any necessary changes to equipment, navigation routes or boundaries. A different approval framework cannot remove those physical requirements.

Key Points

• Eight offshore wind zones with 85.4 trillion won in planned investment and 13,037 megawatts of capacity face possible reductions or loss of designation.
• All eight still had unresolved military consultations as of Oct. 27, ahead of their year end deadline.
• Military concerns include radar performance, naval navigation, air traffic control and access to training areas.
• Korea Western Power's withdrawal has disrupted a proposed 6 trillion won project near Buan County.
• The ministry's February 2026 statement described a new system requiring military consultation before preliminary zone designation.
• Replacing developers or changing the approval route still leaves military requirements to be resolved.