Movements and Counter-Movements in Korean Environmental Politics of Post-Fukushima

This paper intends to explain how the Korean social movements engage in the environmental politics after Fukushima disaster by focusing on the competition between two master frames, eco-justice versus green growth.   We believe that Korean social movements have more actively developed zeal of nuke-free society through engaging in various nuclear issues after the disaster. Simultaneously, counter-movements based on green growth frame have more actively supported nuclear plants as an alternative to peak oil or climate change. Each movement tries to seize the so-called master frame, ‘eco-justice’ or ‘green growth’ respectively. As the former is strengthening its relationship with global and local NGOs, so the latter is focusing on the national and local governments, business and media groups. Divergent movements in Korea are converging again after the Fukushima incident with the flag of global justice frame with expanding their activism into transnational arena. Simultaneously counter-movements are also developing a strong solidarity with the master frame of growth. The Korean environmental movements engaging in such contentious politics pay more attention to regional collaboration in East Asia to cope with unexpected high risks at various levels.