Choi Sang-mok Orders Thorough Response to Ultrafine Dust Crisis
Emergency Reduction Measures Enforced in Seoul Metropolitan Area and Chungnam Region
Protective Actions for Students and Vulnerable Groups Directed
▲Choi Sang-mok, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Economy and Finance Photo by Yonhap News
Choi Sang-mok, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Strategy and Finance, issued an urgent directive on the 20th to thoroughly implement emergency reduction measures in response to the ultrafine dust crisis alert in the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungnam region.
Acting President Choi first instructed the Ministry of Environment and local governments to issue emergency reduction measures and promptly inform the public about the related details.
He also ordered the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to strictly enforce measures such as partial operation restrictions on coal-fired power plants, inspections of construction sites, and restrictions on the operation of Grade 5 vehicles in accordance with the emergency reduction measures.
Furthermore, he directed the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to take protective measures for students, vulnerable groups, and outdoor workers.
The Ministry of Environment announced that, following the ultrafine dust crisis alert for the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungnam region, it will implement high-concentration fine dust emergency reduction measures from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the 21st.
This is the first time in about a year since January 31 of last year that the government has implemented emergency reduction measures for fine dust.
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