Distribution and behavior of baseline soil CO
2 were investigated in a candidate geologic CO
2 storage site in Pohang, with measuring CO
2 concentrations and carbon isotopes in the vadose zone as well as CO
2 fluxes and concentrations through ground surface. This investigation aimed to assess the baseline CO
2 levels and to build the CO
2 monitoring system before injecting CO
2. The gas in the vadose zone was collected using a peristaltic pump from the depth of 60 cm below ground surface, and stored at gas bags. Then the gas components (CO
2, O
2, N
2, CH
4) and δ
13C
CO2 were analyzed using GC and CRDS (cavity ringdown spectroscopy) respectively in laboratory. CO
2 fluxes and CO
2 concentrations through ground surface were measured using Li-COR in field. In result, the median of the CO
2 concentrations in the vadose zone was about 3,000 ppm, and the δ
13C
CO2 were in the wide range between −36.9‰ and −10.6‰. The results imply that the fate of CO
2 in the vadose zone was affected by soil property and vegetations. CO
2 in sandy or loamy soils originated from the respiration of microorganisms and the decomposition of C
3 plants. In gravel areas, the CO
2 concentrations decreased while the δ
13C
CO2 increased because of the mixing with the atmospheric gas. In addition, the relation between O
2 and CO
2, N
2, and the relation between N
2/O
2 and CO
2 implied that the gases in the vadose zone dissolved in the infiltrating precipitation or the soil moisture. The median CO
2 flux through ground surface was 2.9 g/m
2/d which is lower than the reported soil CO
2 fluxes in areas with temperate climates. CO
2 fluxes measured in sandy and loamy soil areas were higher (median 5.2 g/m
2/d) than those in gravel areas (2.6 g/m
2/d). The relationships between CO
2 fluxes and concentrations suggested that the transport of CO
2 from the vadose zone to ground surface was dominated by diffusion in the study area. In gravel areas, the mixing with atmospheric gases was significant. Based on this study result, a soil monitoring procedure has been established for a candidate geologic CO
2 storage site. Also, this study result provides ideas for innovating soil monitoring technologies.
Keywords: Geologic CO2 storage;Soil CO2 monitoring;