법학교육환경변화에 대한 점검과 학부에서의 환경법교육에 대한 검토

The starting point of modern legal education in Korea was the establishment of the “Law Official Training Institute” by royal decree in 1895, but the first modern public law textbook written by a Korean scholar is considered to be Seoyugyeonmun, authored by Yu Gil-jun. Environmental law education in Korea is closely related to the founding of the Korean Environmental Law Association in 1977; generally, it is regarded as having emerged as an independent subject at four-year universities around the time environmental rights were added to the Constitution in 1980. However, the subject of environmental law education began to draw academic attention paradoxically during the foundation-shaking reforms brought about by the introduction of law schools at the undergraduate level.​ With the transition to law schools in 2009, undergraduate law enrollment was cut by about 80%, and as of 2025, the number stands at about 5,000. In addition, a demographic cliff (with about 460,000 students taking the university entrance exam in 2025, and an estimated 300,000 in 2030), expansion of open-major admission systems, and the changing academic status of law have all combined to threaten the very foundation of undergraduate environmental law education. The expansion of open-major policies has led to large-scale restructuring within universities, and fundamental restructuring such as department abolitions is now contingent on the choices of open-major students. On the other hand, social changes such as worsening climate crisis, expansion of ESG management, advancement of artificial intelligence technology, and the shift of Korea’s industrial structure toward smart and green industries are increasing the real demand for environmental law education.​ This study aims to suggest directions for the survival and development of undergraduate environmental law education amid this dual crisis and opportunity. An analysis of educational environment changes examines the quantitative reduction of undergraduate law education caused by the introduction of law schools, the decrease in school-age population and the sharp drop in university exam takers, the decline in the academic status of law and weakened admissions competitiveness, as well as the pressure for department restructuring due to large-scale recruitment and expansion of open-major systems. Social environmental changes analyzed include the rapid development of generative AI and its impact on legal education, changes in Korea’s industrial structure since the 1990s and the projected rise of smart/green industries after 2025, intensifying metropolitan concentration and polarization, climate crisis and the spread of carbon neutrality/ESG, and the transition to competency-based and NCS-based recruitment trends in finance, industry, and public enterprise sectors.​ The study proposes the following key directions for the development of undergraduate environmental law education: First, curricular design should enhance the appeal of the law major, ensuring the basic survival conditions of departments. Second, the accessibility of environmental law should be increased by offering it as a general education course for first-year students given the rise in open-major enrollees. Third, education should shift to problem-solving and collaborative models to respond to competency-based hiring and NCS-based evaluations. Fourth, external activities such as the Korean Environmental Law Association writing contest and the Ministry of Environment public contest should be connected to coursework to provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities. Fifth, the curriculum should incorporate training paths for environmental educator or engineer certification. Sixth, real-time environmental issues and news should be actively incorporated to boost students' engagement and real-world sensibilities. Seventh, supplementary materials such as environmental documentaries and films should be used with systems of resource sharing built at the Association level. Eighth, diverse teaching experimentations are required, such as interdisciplinary team-teaching and case-presentation focused classes.​ Undergraduate environmental law education faces a structural crisis following the introduction of law schools, yet also encounters opportunities with the increased societal demand due to the climate crisis and expansion of ESG. The article emphasizes that overcoming this crisis requires moving away from the traditional lecture-based approach of the 2000s and adopting student-centered, practice-linked, and convergence-type educational methodologies. It further suggests that systemic support and resource-sharing at the Association level, beyond individual efforts, are needed. This study diagnoses the realities of undergraduate environmental law education and presents concrete improvement directions, with the hope of contributing to future reforms in legal education.