Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online) 한국자원공학회지

As a key measure to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, Korea enacted the Act on the Capture, Transportation, Storage and Utilization of Carbon Dioxide (CCUS Act) in 2025. This paper analyzes the Act’s legislative process and key provisions to examine its policy and industrial significance, as well as the challenges associated with its implementation. The CCUS Act is important because it defines carbon dioxide as a usable resource rather than as waste and establishes integrated governance across the entire lifecycle. The Act also possesses characteristics of a promotional law designed to foster the industry, including the designation of integrated complexes, special provisions for R&D demonstrations, and the establishment of a specialized company certification system. However, the enactment of the law does not guarantee the creation of a successful ecosystem. Therefore, this paper presents the challenges that must be considered when establishing the upcoming First Basic Plan and operating the system to build a domestic CCUS ecosystem.