On November 13, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (Minister Kim Sung-hwan) announced that it held a business agreement ceremony on the afternoon of November 12 at the Bankers Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul. Partnering with the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI), KB Kookmin Bank, and IBK (Industrial Bank of Korea), the ministry established a public-private financial cooperative framework to promote everyday climate actions among the public.

This agreement aims to make it easier for citizens to participate in the "Republic of Korea Climate Action" and "Carbon Neutrality Point" programs through mobile banking applications. By doing so, participants can receive rewards (points) for their eco-friendly lifestyle choices, significantly expanding the practical economic benefits associated with climate action.

The first phase of these financial-linked benefits will launch in late November. Users who sign up for the carbon neutrality point service and register as "climate citizens" via the participating banks' mobile apps will receive the standard 1,000 KRW carbon neutrality point, along with limited-time additional points provided by each bank.

Additionally, participatory events—such as inviting acquaintances for bonus points—will leverage mobile networks to encourage the broader spread of climate actions. The banks' mobile apps will also promote climate action items and related carbon neutrality points.

The participating institutions plan to continue multi-faceted cooperation, including boosting climate citizen registrations and running joint digital PR campaigns, to ensure that the expansion of climate citizens leads to sustained practical actions. Furthermore, they plan to widen the scope of citizen benefits by increasing collaborations with various private companies closely tied to daily life.

In particular, to ensure that citizens carrying a "Climate Citizen Card" can tangibly experience economic rewards from everyday carbon neutrality practices, financial institutions will develop preferential savings and deposit products offering higher interest rates for cardholders. They also plan to expand cooperation with other commercial banks in the future to continuously provide high-impact financial benefits that encourage public participation.

Minister Kim Sung-hwan stated, "For climate action to successfully settle into the daily lives of citizens, anyone must be able to participate easily and clearly experience the benefits of their actions." He added, "Starting with this agreement, we will continuously expand best practices in public-private cooperation where small everyday actions translate into tangible financial benefits."

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