The Ministry of Environment (MOE) will hold a public hearing to improve existing Low Emission Zone (LEZ) system on November 7 at the President Hotel, Seoul. The public hearing is held in accordance with the MOU on improving air quality in the metropolitan area which was signed between MOE and Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province on August 27.

The air quality of the metropolitan area has been deteriorated due to air pollutants coming from neighboring countries and gas emissions generated by decrepit diesel cars. Compared to major cities of OECD countries, the pollution level of Korea’s metropolitan area is 1.4 to 2.9 times higher. Thus, measures need to be taken to improve the air quality. 

MOE has established a metropolitan area air quality improvement consultative body under the MOU. Under the consultative body, Korea Environment Institute (KEI) and researchers from Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi province have conducted research on how to improve the LEZ system.

Base on the result of public hearing, Dr. Kang Gwang-gyu from KEI will give a presentation on improvement of LEZ. And, stakeholders including experts, civic groups and logistics business will have a discussion, followed by Q&A session for participants to collect opinions.

MOE will lay out a final improvement plan after collecting opinions of experts and relevant agencies after the public hearing. Additional meetings with experts and civic groups will be held to complement improvement measures will be held.

The metropolitan area air quality improvement consultative body will define the role of central and local governments for detailed improvement plan. In addition, the second public hearing will be held for collecting opinions at the end of this year.

The LEZ, which was first adopted in Stockholm, Sweden in 1996, has been implemented in 238 cities of advanced countries as a means of controlling vehicle emissions. The system is analyzed to contribute to reducing pollutant emissions in most of implemented areas.