The Ministry of Environment (Minister Cho Myung rae) reported on the work plan for 2019 to President Moon Jae-in in the Sejong government complex under the theme that promote inclusive environmental policy that everyone enjoys a clean environment on Tuesday, December 18th.

In this report, the Minister of Environment, Cho Myung rae emphasized that Ministry of Environment will focus on speedy and tangible improvement of the environment in 2019, the third year of the government of Moon Jae-in, putting the highest priority on protecting the environmental rights of the people by creating a healthy and pleasant environment.

In particular, the Ministry of Environment will push ahead with the following issues, 

▲ Putting all-out efforts to resolve the issues of fine particles

▲ Establishment of integrated water management and resolving pending issues on water sector

▲ Expansion of customized environmental welfare services

▲ Revitalizing green economy and creating green jobs

The main contents of the four tasks to be promoted in 2019 are as follows.

1. Putting all-out efforts to resolve the issues of fine particles

With enactment of the 'Special Act on Fine Particles Reduction and Management' in 2019, the ministry will materialize and seamlessly implement detailed plans for major measures announced in the meantime. The ministry will reduce the amount of fine particles emission by 40,668 tons next year (which is dropped by 12.5 percent compared to 2014)

These measures are expected to lower the annual average fine particulate matter concentration in Seoul from 25 ㎍/㎥ in 2017 to 17 ㎍/㎥ in 2022. 

First, the measures for high concentration of fine particles are switched to a preemptive manner.

Preliminary reduction measures (every other day vehicle rotation in public sector, road cleaning) will be implemented from the day before if high concentration of fine particles is expected two days later. Weekly forecasts will be piloted in the second half of 2019 and preliminary reduction measures will be gradually extended.

In the period of high possibility of concentration of fine particles is likely to be high (October - April), management on massive emission generating business and construction sites will be strengthened by new technology.

Drones and mobile measuring vehicles are used to intensively monitor illegal pollutant emission activities and seamlessly strengthen monitoring and  surveillance for illegal emission of fine particles from various angles by monitoring pollution prevention facilities that are not operating by utilizing Internet of Things (IoT).

In case of high concentrations of fine particles, driving of emission level 5 diesel vehicles (2,690,000 units) will be restricted and the operation of 42 coal and heavy oil-fired power plants will be limited to 80 perent of the usual level.

Second, in order to reduce emissions from the transport sector, which accounts for the highest portion of the fine particles emissions in the Seoul metropolitan area, the Ministry of Environment plans to reduce the number of diesel vehicles and increase the number of Eco-friendly cars such as electric cars and hydrogen cars.

First of all, the proportion of diesel vehicles in the public sector will be phased out by 2030 while the private sector will also exclude diesel vehicles from low-emission vehicles ('clean diesel') and Diesel vehicles will be reduced by expanding support for switching worn-out diesel trucks to LPG-run vehicles.  

The Ministry of Environment plans to increase the number of Eco-friendly vehicles to 545,000 units* by 2022 through extension period of subsidies payment for Eco-friendly cars, pilot project of popularizing hydrogen buses and studying introduction of compulsory sales system for Eco-friendly vehicles.

* 430,000 electric cars, 65,000 hydrogen cars, 50,000 electric two wheeled vehicles. These targets are a 31 percent increase from the previous plan announced on last November 8th (415,000 units by 2022). The Ministry of Environment plans to prepare a detailed action plan on the 'road map for diesel car reduction' around February next year.

Third, international cooperation for resolving fine particles will be enhanced. The Ministry of Environment has expanded cooperation projects with China, which has been focused on research and monitoring, toward reduction of the emission of fine particles and plans to strengthen international cooperation so that each country can set voluntary targets and implement and then develop them into international agreements.

2. Integrated water management and resolving pending issues on water sector

< Establishment of integrated water management >

Improvement of the efficiency of water quality and quantity management through the establishment of integrated water management.

Considering climate change and the changes in water use, the Ministry of Environment plans to utilize the available water resources optimally through preparing an optimal water supply plan and linkage between power generation dam and multipurpose dam and linking local - wide water supply system.

The Ministry of Environment will push ahead with policies to enhance the effectiveness of integrated water management through increasing the accuracy of flood forecasting with linking information on precipitation prediction and information on river level and flow rate.

In addition, the Ministry of Environment will establish plan for dam operation to ensure sufficient quantity of water used for environmentally friendly water, and improve river water quality by discharging the dam water quickly when water pollution occurs.

<Resolving water issue in the Nakdong River basin>

The Ministry of Environment will prepare a fundamental solution to the water use problem in the Nakdong River basin.

Despite the fact that the whole main river of the Nakdong river basin is water supply source enabling water intake unlike other river basin such as the Han river, water management condition is poor because large-scale factories are located in the middle and upper region of the river and development of alternative water resources is difficult. All of these cause residents living in the Nakdong river to be concerned about water they drink. 

To solve this problem, the Ministry of Environment will improve the water quality of the whole main river of the Nakdong River and strengthen management on trace of hazardous substances.

The Ministry of Environment will monitor chemical substances emitted from industrial complexes from emission source to the source of water intake step by step and to review the feasibility of reusing the entire wastewater of the wastewater treatment facilities in Daegu and Gumi and then expand this project if it works.  

In addition, the Ministry of Environment will review ways to expand the site regulation in the areas near the source of water intake, and install buffer wastewater detention facilities (22 units by 2022) for industrial complexes to strengthen prevention and countermeasures against water pollution accidents.

Based on the improvement of water quality in the main river of Nakdong River, the Ministry of Environment will review all available alternatives such as alternative water resources development through research on the Nakdong River Basin Integrated Water Management.

Through discussion on watershed governance, the Ministry of Environment will draw up an optimal ways of water use that will enable all residents of the Nakdong River to use clean water by the end of next year.

<Natural recovery of the four major rivers>

The Ministry of Environment will prepare a fair stank treatment plan through objective monitoring of the stank of four major rivers.

To this end, the ministry will promote water use measures* considering water-based condition and expand objective monitoring by ensuring sufficient width and duration of openness of stank.

* Groundwater (expansion of observations, installation of alternative wells, supply of growing water, etc.), water intake and pumping stations (temporary measures and facilities improvement, transfer, etc.)

The ministry plans to expand water-based civil and administrative consultative group to the 16 stank units and to strengthen the process of deliberation after gathering opinions from local residents and experts.

In addition, the ministry will prepare a fair evaluation system and provide a step-by-step process plan for each water-base and stank where the evaluation condition is met.

3. Expansion of customized environmental welfare services

The ministry will promote customized environmental health measures and support measures by target for children, elderly, female, and pregnant women.

In order to protect the health of children who are vulnerable to environmental exposure, The ministry will consider the area such as daycare center and kindergartens as well as kids cafes and academies environmental safety management targets* and gradually expand the area**. 

* Set up standards for hazardous substances such as heavy metals for paints, wallpapers, and flooring materials and check it periodically.

**Daycare center, Kindergarten (130,000 units in 2018) → Academies and kids cafes will be added since 2019 (210,000 units in total)

The ministry will introduce a crisis prevention service (12,000 households in 2019) by analyzing the water use pattern of senior citizen who lives alone by smart meter reading and automatically delivering it to social workers or local governments in case of anomaly detection.

* Unlike electricity and gas, water does not have basic usage, so it has a high sensitivity to detect crisis situations.

The ministry will implement indoor environment improvement support project for 250 residential facilities for the elderly who lives alone.

The ministry will keep track of the relationship between exposure to harmful substances in the living environment and health for about 70,000 pregnant women (in 2019), prepare customized guidelines (in 2020) and examine the growth and health status of newborns.

In addition, the ministry will provide customized weather information for each region and class to reduce damage to the vulnerable class due to climate change such as heat wave and severe cold and promote customized support project* with related ministries.

* (Cold wave) Improvement of insulation for low-income households (since Dec. 2018) (Heat wave) Operation of shelter for outdoor workers, support supplies for residents in shanty town (with related ministries in the first half of 2019) (Heavy rain) building trench wall for low-lying underground housing

Expanding water supply to vulnerable areas such as islands and mountains, and providing ecological services so that many people can enjoy nature and relax.

The ministry will install water supply facilities in 110 islands in 22 municipalities that are vulnerable to water supply in case of droughts in order to make clean water available to everyone (23.8 billion won in 2018 → 150 billion won in 2019).

* ① Waterworks pipeline using the ocean floor ② Development of underground wells ③ Installation and improvement of seawater desalination facilities ④ Reservoir development ⑤ water-supply ship, etc.

The ministry will strengthen support to supply clean water to small-scale water supply facilities installed in rural areas through facility upgrades and expansion of water purification facilities (117 facilities in 103 municipalities).

Ecological space will be expanded so that people who are tired of heavy work and stress can rest comfortably.

The ministry will create ecological spaces for relaxation by utilizing roofs of the building and abandoned land in in urban areas, which can be easily accessible and enhance environmental sensitivity. (6.6 billion won for 40 units)

Outside the city, the ministry will create an environmentally-friendly accommodations and nature visiting facilities in the underdeveloped areas around the national parks, thereby revitalizing a nature visiting culture.

In addition, the ministry will support the revenue generating model by fostering village-based social economy enterprises in areas with competence among eco-tourism regions (26).

The ministry will also strengthen the management of old underground facilities, which are increasingly concerned by recently rupture of hot water pipes and the fire in underground pass for cable-laying.

Regarding old water pipes, the ministry will expand their maintenance project, which was originally planned to be 55, to 60 projects, and conduct replacement and repair work for old water pipes (1,507 km) by 2020, which was originally planned until 2021.

4. Revitalizing green economy and creating green jobs

* Green Economy: An economic growth method that improves the quality of life and promote social equity while significantly reducing environmental and ecological risks.

The ministry promotes the greening of enterprise manufacturing process by boosting investment in the green industry.

The ministry will support the greening of manufacturing process by improving environmental management efficiency of major processes through integrated pollution management* for large-scale discharging sites, and institutionalizing the reallocation of allotment resources** in the emission trading system to the company's greenhouse gas emission reduction facilities.

* Establishment of customized emission standards to minimize the environmental impacts of the business site (Implementation of integrated pollution management at about 180 business sites including power generation, steel and petroleum refining)

** Estimated Income: KRW 240 billion per year (2019 - 2020), KRW 500 billion per year (2021 - 2025)

Raise the deduction rate for investment tax of environmental pollution substances reduction facility (1 → 3% for large corporations, 3 → 5% for medium-sized corporations), and expand investment for environment-friendly facilities by extension of the system sunset period (2018 → 2021).

In addition, the ministry will promote company's green investment by strengthening support for major green industries such as water and ecological industry.

* (Water industry) Water industry cluster one stop support, establishment of dispersive type demonstration facility (Ecology industry) Ecology imitation R & D (3.15 billion won in 2019), designation of ecology imitation technology innovation center

Examples of Major Ecological Industries

(Ecological imitation technology) Green algae removal technology utilizing the characteristics of the snapping shrimp chela 

(Substitute of foreign materials) Makgeolli (rice wine) spawn (Japan) → native species (National Makgeolli (rice wine) K), xylitol (Finland) → mulberry extract (Dongsung shield toothpaste) 

(Industrialization of biomaterials) Reed roots fermentation extract → cosmetics (whitening, lifting cream), arsenic-reducing microorganism → development of prototype for reducing arsenic contamination in soil

Increase green products sales space and inventory ratio (more than three times) in large stores,  boost green consumption through reducing online sales commissions for green products, and strengthen support for the greening of environment-related government policies*.

* (Land) Scientific approach and objectivity of environmental impact assessment process by analyzing and utilizing big data information in environmental impact assessment

* (Agriculture and forestry) Supporting Eco-friendly agriculture and forestry policies through development and application of integrated biogas facilities for livestock manure and food waste 

* (Energy) Strengthening Eco-friendly policy support such as enactment of plan location system for new renewable energy

* (Balanced Development) Establish an environment convergence complex that blends green industry - technology - human resources and make the complex a regional green economic base

The ministry will expand exports and create green jobs by utilizing the green industry as a driving force for economic growth.

The ministry will promote overseas expansion through packaged export strategy combining environmental system, technology and human resource and increase jobs to solve environmental issues including environment safety management for children and to foster green industry such as water industries.

Through this, the ministry is expected to achieve 10 trillion won in green industry exports in 2019 (8 trillion won in 2016), and to create about 24,000 more green jobs compared to the previous figure.

Attachment: The Ministry of Environment will change this in 2019.

End.