Ordinance Enacted to Restrict Vehicle Operation During High Concentration Fine Dust Seasonal Management Period (Dec-Mar)
One-Year Grace Period for Commercial Vehicles, Low Emission Application Vehicles, and Vehicles Unable to Install or Develop Red
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] From December this year to March next year, for four months, the operation of Grade 5 emission vehicles without low-emission measures will be restricted throughout Busan.
Busan City will enforce the "Busan City Fine Dust Reduction and Management Ordinance," which restricts the operation of Grade 5 vehicles subject to the high-concentration fine dust seasonal management system, from December to March of the following year.
The fine dust seasonal management system is a policy implemented to reduce citizen damage and impact by promoting strengthened reduction measures from December to March, when high concentrations of fine dust frequently occur. The city has been implementing this seasonal system since December 2019.
During the three previous seasonal periods, the city only restricted the operation of Grade 5 vehicles when emergency fine dust reduction measures were issued. However, due to limitations in reducing fine dust, from the fourth seasonal period, a regulation restricting the operation of Grade 5 vehicles during the seasonal management period has been newly established to phase out old diesel vehicles early and reduce fine dust in winter.
Accordingly, starting December 1 this year, Grade 5 vehicles without low-emission measures will be restricted from operating throughout Busan. As of last month, there are 55,000 Grade 5 vehicles in Busan without low-emission measures. The restricted operation hours are weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. A fine of 100,000 KRW per day will be imposed if caught violating the restriction.
However, emergency vehicles, vehicles displaying disability marks, and vehicles of national merit recipients who have been awarded disability grades are exempt from the operation restrictions.
Commercial vehicles, vehicles that have applied for low-emission measures, and vehicles for which reduction devices are undeveloped or cannot be installed will have a one-year grace period, with operation restrictions applied from December 2023.
To check the grade, visit ▲Vehicle Emission Website ▲Call Center ▲KT114 ▲Government24 (Low-emission measure application) Vehicle Emission Website → Sign up (Log in) → Civil Service → Low-emission Measure Application
This year, the city plans to strengthen support for low-emission measures by early scrapping of old diesel vehicles (10,000 units) and installing particulate reduction devices (2,670 units), and accelerate the phase-out of old diesel vehicles and the spread of eco-friendly vehicles by promoting electric vehicles (12,030 units) and hydrogen vehicles (550 units).
Lee Geun-hee, Director of the City’s Green Environment Policy Office, said, “We hope citizens actively utilize support projects for low-emission measures such as early scrapping, particulate reduction device installation, and eco-friendly vehicle distribution before December this year to avoid disadvantages,” and added, “There may be some inconvenience due to the operation restrictions on Grade 5 vehicles during the fourth seasonal period, but we ask for active cooperation as this policy is to protect citizens’ health.”
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