Diesel Restrictions

[Anchor Lead]

Starting next year, diesel vehicles older than 10 years that emit fine particulates will be banned from entering Seoul city limits. Similarly, the city of Incheon and some areas of Gyeonggi-do Province will restrict operation of old diesel vehicles from 2018.

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This is a 2.5-ton van manufactured 15 years ago. The fine particulate matter count soared to 2.3 milligrams or 2,300 micrograms per cubic meter. That's the level equivalent to the particulate matters emitted by 23 of the latest model diesel vehicles. The Ministry of Environment signed agreements with the governments of Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do Province to gradually ban the operation of such aged vehicles in the metropolitan areas. Starting next year, old diesel vehicles will be banned from running in all areas of Seoul. Similar bans will be placed for Incheon and 17 cities and counties in Gyeonggi-do Province in 2018 and the entire metropolitan areas in 2020. The vehicles to be restricted are old diesel vehicles registered in Seoul and surrounding areas prior to 2005 and weighing more than 2.5 tons. Excluding 140,000 vehicles already equipped with pollution-cutting devices, 430,000 diesel vehicles are to be placed under this restriction. In addition, vehicles belonging to the recipients of basic livelihood subsidies will be exempted from the ban. Old vehicles placed under restriction should be installed with emission-cutting devices with government subsidy or be scrapped as soon as possible. If caught in violation of these obligations, a driver will pay a fine of 180 dollars for each incident or up to 1,800 dollars in total. The Environment Ministry expects the latest measure to help slash the level of automobile-caused super fine particulates by nearly 30%.