The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE, Minister Kim Sungwhan) announced that at the Cabinet meeting held on March 24, Minister Kim Sungwhan reported response measures, including energy conservation, following the issuance of a “caution” for a resource security crisis related to crude oil.

As uncertainty over energy supply increased due to the prolonged situation in the Middle East, the government issued a “concern” level for a resource security crisis related to crude oil and natural gas as of 15:00 on March 5, and subsequently raised the for crude oil-related resource security crisis to the “caution” level as of 15:00 on March 18. 

Accordingly, the MCEE will implement response measures focused on adjusting the power mix to minimize liquefied natural gas (LNG) consumption, enforcing strong petroleum reduction and energy-saving measures, and rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy storage systems.

First, the power mix will be adjusted to minimize LNG consumption. On days with low fine dust levels, operational restrictions on coal-fired power plants (80%) under the seasonal fine dust management system will be eased, and five nuclear power plants currently under maintenance will be restarted on schedule by May to reduce LNG usage.

Second, strong energy-saving measures will be implemented. In the public sector, a mandatory five-day vehicle rotation system (weekday-based restriction) will be enforced to lead energy conservation efforts (excluding vehicles used by persons with disabilities, vehicles carrying pregnant women or infants and preschool children, and electric or hydrogen vehicles). The private sector will initially participate on a voluntary basis, but mandatory participation is being considered if a “warning” is issued due to concerns over crude oil supply disruptions. Public institutions and large corporations will also be encouraged to temporarily adjust commuting hours to disperse traffic demand as much as possible. Meanwhile, the top 50 companies with high petroleum consumption will be asked to establish energy-saving plans, and incentives such as priority support for energy-saving facility financing programs will be provided upon achieving energy reduction targets.

The government will also actively promote 12 public action guidelines for energy conservation in daily life. These include participating in the five-day vehicle rotation system, using public transportation, maintaining appropriate indoor temperatures, and charging electric vehicles and mobile phones during daytime hours, among a total of 12 items, and will call for active participation from the entire public.

Third, the government plans to rapidly deploy more than 7 GW of renewable energy this year and also promote the installation of 1.3 GW of energy storage systems (ESS) to fundamentally reduce energy imports such as LNG. 

Minister Kim Sungwhan stated, “As the energy supply crisis caused by the situation in the Middle East is severe, there are limits to what the government alone can do,” emphasizing, “Even if it involves some inconvenience, we ask for the public’s active participation to strengthen energy security and overcome the crisis.” He also added, “Our ministry will create conditions that enable the public to actively participate in energy conservation so as to minimize the consumption of imported energy such as LNG and petroleum, and will continue to provide strong support to enhance energy self-reliance and security.”

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com