In the early stages of Korean environmental policy, the focus was primarily on managing water, air, and soil, with health issues largely overlooked. However, by the early 2000s, growing awareness of risks from environmental hormones and hazardous chemicals, coupled with increased interest in healthy lifestyles, led to a significant shift in the Ministry of Environment’s approach. This shift resulted in the expansion of the chemicals department and the creation of a divi-sion dedicated to environmental health. A pivotal moment occurred in June 2004, when health concerns from an abandoned mine in Goseong prompted a joint investigation by the government and civil society. This investigation high-lighted the need for health-centered environmental policies and set the stage for nationwide mine surveys and the Environmental Health Act. This paper exam-ines the significance of the Byeongsan Village investigation in shaping South Korea’s environmental health policy in the early 2000s. By analyzing this case, which marked a shift in societal focus toward mineral pollution, this paper ex-plores the broader implications of the move towards health-centered environ-mental policy and its impact on the institutionalization of environmental health agenda.