The relationship between water pollution and economic growth using the Environmental Kuznets Curve: A case study in South Korea.

摘要

This paper reviews the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution. Empirical estimates relating industrial (Chemical Oxygen Demand, or COD) and organic (Biological Oxygen Demand, or BOD) water pollution to economic growth in South Korea from 1985 to 2009 are mostly consistent with EKC theory, though this result does no hold for all regions and all pollutants. The Geum River (BOD), the Yeongsan River (BOD and COD), and the Nackdong River (COD) show inverted-U shapes. However, the Han River does not show inverted-U shapes. At the national perspective, BOD and COD might show inverted-U shapes.