52,395 Vehicles with Emission Grade 5 Detected... 64% to be Scrapped or Equipped with Reduction Devices

Ministry of Environment Announces Results of Enforcement and Counting of Restricted Vehicles in the Seoul Metropolitan Area

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[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] During the four-month period from December last year to March this year, when the 2nd Seasonal Fine Dust Management System was implemented, 52,395 vehicles classified as Grade 5 emission vehicles were caught. Among the vehicles caught, 64% agreed to participate in low-emission measures such as scrapping or installing emission reduction devices.

On the 14th, the Ministry of Environment announced the results of enforcement and counting of Grade 5 emission vehicle restrictions in the Seoul metropolitan area.

During the seasonal fine dust management period, excluding weekends and holidays, a fine of 100,000 KRW per day is imposed for operating Grade 5 vehicles in the Seoul metropolitan area from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Exceptions apply to vehicles that have applied for low-emission measures. Among the vehicles caught this time, 33,777 agreed to participate in low-emission measures: 7,721 for early scrapping, 1,723 for installing emission reduction devices, and 24,333 applied for low-emission measures (either installing emission reduction devices or early scrapping).

Therefore, the actual number of vehicles subject to fines is 31,388. Vehicles fined once account for 18,460 (59%), and those fined two or more times account for 12,928 (41%).

Gyeonggi Province plans to impose fines on 6,003 vehicles that have not applied for low-emission measures by March 31. Incheon City will impose fines if low-emission measures are not applied for by the pre-notification period of 35 days. Seoul City plans to refund or cancel fines for 23,182 vehicles subject to fines if they complete low-emission measures by the end of November this year.

Meanwhile, the number of Grade 5 vehicles decreased by about 500,000 from 2,104,154 at the end of 2019 to 1,607,141 in March this year. The resulting reduction effect on ultrafine dust is 1,189 tons annually, which is about 14% of the ultrafine dust (8,642 tons) directly emitted by approximately 23 million vehicles in 2017.