Vehicles with Emission Rating 5 Restricted from Operating in Gyeonggi Province Starting in December...Fine of 100,000 Won for Violations

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Starting in December through March next year, nationwide Grade 5 vehicles without emission reduction devices installed will have restricted driving within Gyeonggi Province.

Violations will result in a daily fine of 100,000 won.

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 28th that it will implement driving restrictions on emission Grade 5 vehicles during the third seasonal fine dust management period (Dec. 1, 2021 to Mar. 31, 2022).

Vehicles subject to enforcement are Grade 5 emission vehicles without low-emission measures (verifiable on the 'vehicle emission grade system' homepage), and driving is restricted from 6 AM to 9 PM on weekdays, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Enforcement is conducted in real-time through 'aging diesel vehicle detection cameras' installed throughout the province.

During the seasonal management period, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances, vehicles for the disabled meeting standards set by applicable laws, and vehicles of national merit honorees are exempted from enforcement.

Grade 5 vehicles that cannot be equipped with reduction devices or were previously temporarily exempted from enforcement through only low-emission measure applications will be included in enforcement targets during this third seasonal fine dust management period and drivers should exercise caution.

However, to ease the burden on livelihood-dependent vehicle owners, vehicles registered as basic livelihood recipients, near-poor households, and small business owners among those that cannot be equipped will be exempted from enforcement.

Additionally, the Ministry of Environment and the three Seoul Capital Area local governments agreed to grant a grace period on fine assessments for vehicles registered in regions outside the Seoul Capital Area where low-emission measures are delayed due to budget shortages, if they complete low-emission measures by Sept. 30 next year.

Cases where new vehicles have been contracted to replace Grade 5 emission vehicles but delivery is delayed due to semiconductor supply issues will also have fine assessment grace periods until the new vehicles are delivered.

Meanwhile, the province is implementing support policies to encourage installation of emission reduction devices and vehicle replacement.

Subsidies are provided when Grade 5 vehicles have emission reduction devices corresponding to low-emission measures installed or undergo early scrapping. For vehicles that cannot have reduction devices installed and can only undergo early scrapping, an additional 600,000 won is provided.

Additionally, when owners of Grade 5 diesel vehicles purchase electric or hydrogen vehicles (passenger cars), the province provides an additional subsidy of 2 million won beyond the basic subsidy, and when replacing vehicles with LPG 1-ton trucks, 4 million won (3 million won from next year) is provided.

Park Dae-geun, head of Gyeonggi Province's Fine Dust Management Division, stated, "The seasonal fine dust management program is a preventive management measure implemented to supplement the limitations of emergency reduction measures that are implemented after fine dust concentrations increase," and urged, "We request the keen attention and participation of all residents so that everyone can enjoy healthy lives."