Sejong, May 8 - The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) takes intensive control measures for high-level ozone1 concentration during the ozone season (May-August), including reducing ozone-depleting substances and promoting emergency instructions to protect public health. The highlights of the intensive control measures for high-level ozone concentration include △special inspections of places of business that emit air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, △technical support for volatile organic compound fugitive emission facilities2, and △enhanced publicity of ozone forecasts, warnings, and emergency instruction. 

First, during the ozone season, regional environment offices, the National Institute of Environmental Research, and the Korea Environment Corporation will collaborate with local governments to conduct special inspections of places of business that emit large amounts of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. For 50 places of business that emit large amounts of nitrogen oxides, they will mainly check the proper operation of prevention facilities and management of automatic smokestack measuring devices. For 300 places of business emitting large amounts of volatile organic compounds, such as the petrochemical industry, they will check if fugitive emission facilities comply with the management standards. 

The Ministry of Environment will provide technical support to 80 small- and medium-sized businesses experiencing difficulty managing fugitive emission facilities and 187 gas stations experiencing difficulty managing vapor recovery systems.

* (Place of business) Based on the inspection results, the Ministry will select among places of business that are determined non-compliant and that do not comply with facility management standards and present them with pollutant measurement, installation of enclosed collection facilities, and optimal operation plan. 

(Gas stations) The Ministry will select some places of business among those who received an order for improvement due to non-compliant with regular inspections of vapor recovery systems. It will provide selected ones with training on how to operate vapor recovery systems properly and present them with an optimal operation plan. 

The Ministry also provides information on high-level ozone concentrations and promotes emergency instructions to prevent damage to public health caused by ozone exposure. 

The Ministry will promptly inform the public about ozone forecasts and warnings using Air Korea’s website, mobile application, and digital road billboards. The Ministry will actively promote emergency instructions in case of ozone s using various publicity methods such as brochures and videos in Seoul Subway Station and KTX Dongdaegu Station. 

Park Yeon-jae, Director-General of the Air Quality Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Environment, said, “High-level ozone concentrations can occur at any time from May to August when the sunlight is strong, and temperatures rise.” He added, “We will do our utmost to protect public health by taking control measures for high-level ozone concentrations.”

1 Ozone is primarily formed by photochemical reactions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with ultraviolet radiation. Repeated exposure to high concentrations of ozone can negatively affect the respiratory system.

2 Facilities that emit (leak) air pollutants directly into the atmosphere, unlike point sources such as chimneys 

Contact: Song Seok-sub, Senior Deputy Director

Air Quality Policy Division / +82-(0)44-201-6871

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr