17 City and Province Vehicle Emission Intensive Inspections... Idling Vehicles Also Targeted

Cargo trucks moving with POSCO shipment
(Pohang=Yonhap News) Photo by Park Se-jin = On the 15th, cargo trucks loaded with shipments from POSCO Pohang Steelworks in Gyeongbuk are moving. POSCO resumed land transportation of products on the same day after the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Cargo Solidarity withdrew their strike. 2022.6.15
psjpsj@yna.co.kr
(End)


＜Copyright(c) Yonhap News Agency, Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited＞

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Dongwoo Lee] The Ministry of Environment announced on the 4th that starting from the 5th, it will conduct intensive inspections of vehicle emissions at over 600 locations across 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

This intensive inspection will be carried out in collaboration with the Korea Environment Corporation during the '4th Seasonal Fine Dust Management Period' from this month until March next year.

The inspections will focus mainly on diesel vehicles, which have a high proportion of ultrafine dust emissions, and will be conducted frequently in vehicle-dense areas such as garages (city buses, intercity buses), academies, logistics centers, ports, and airports. Idling vehicles will also be subject to inspection. These vehicles will be measured using smoke meters or video cameras after stopping.

The Korea Environment Corporation will focus on major key roads in air quality management zones such as the metropolitan area, conducting intensive inspections of gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles in operation using remote measuring devices. Mobile remote measuring devices will be used at busy intersections with frequent vehicle entry and exit in the metropolitan area, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, and other locations.

The remote measuring devices automatically measure the concentration of emissions such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides remotely using infrared and ultraviolet equipment as vehicles pass the measurement points.

If vehicle drivers do not comply with, evade, or obstruct the inspection, they may be fined up to 2 million KRW. Drivers who violate the vehicle idling restriction will also be fined up to 1 million KRW according to the ordinances set by each city and province.

Hwang Inmok, head of the Traffic Environment Division at the Ministry of Environment, said, "This inspection is a measure to prevent excessive ultrafine dust emissions from vehicles during the winter season," adding, "To reduce ultrafine dust, vehicle owners themselves must carefully check the condition of their vehicle’s engine exhaust and other parts to ensure no smoke is emitted."