With over 250 people, including the Minister of Environment, Mayor of Cheonan City, and Governor of Chungcheongnam Province participating, a ceremony was held in the Cheonan City on June 18 to celebrate the initial operation of the CNG buses and establishment of the NGV stations within the City.

In line with the 2nd phase of the CNG bus supply plan by the Ministry of Environment, Cheonan City became a pioneer city to operate CNG buses in the Chungcheongnam Province. With 20 buses beginning to operate starting June 18, the city plans to gradually increase number of supply of CNG buses, equalling total of 69 buses by end of the year. By 2007, it plans to replace all 276 city buses with CNG buses.

At present, about 3,336 CNG buses are already in operation in 22 major cities nationwide. Ever since their supply in 1998, CNG buses with no exhaust fumes and 70% less ozone-pollutant emissions have contributed to lessening the air pollution in large cities. By 2007, the Ministry of Environment plans to supply approximately 20,000 CNG city buses and 400 refueling stations nationwide, replacing all city buses in major cities with CNG buses.