The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Tuesday it will push an “intensive management plan for the high-ozone period (May-August),” focusing on reducing nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds — key precursors of ozone — and strengthening public guidance on how to respond.
Ozone formed near the ground in the troposphere is created when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react under strong sunlight. High ozone concentrations can irritate the eyes, nose and respiratory system, and can have a greater impact on vulnerable groups such as children, older adults and people with respiratory illnesses.
With climate change contributing to higher temperatures, stronger sunlight and more stagnant air, high-ozone episodes have continued. The number of days ozone advisories were issued rose from 59 in 2017 to 67 in 2021, and stood at 60 in 2025.
The government will designate intensive management zones centered on areas with concentrated NOx and VOC emissions and on high-ozone areas, and will focus inspections on major sources based on emissions and their contribution to ozone formation.
During the high-ozone period, it will strengthen inspections of 643 large-scale facilities that emit or handle large volumes of relevant substances. It will also provide technical support to 273 sites, including facilities with weak controls on fugitive emissions and gas stations equipped with vapor recovery systems.
Starting this year, 63 environmental surveillance officers will be newly designated at regional environment offices. The ministry said it will use advanced measurement equipment and an intelligent monitoring system using artificial intelligence and big data to quickly crack down on facilities suspected of illegal emissions.
Vehicle emissions controls will also be tightened. The government will expand on-site checks using vehicle emissions measurement equipment and enforcement cameras, and will conduct special inspections of 300 to 400 private vehicle inspection centers jointly with the ministry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and local governments.
For about 1,000 major NOx-emitting facilities in sectors such as power generation, steel and petrochemicals, the government will strengthen total emissions management. The total allowable emissions cap for this year is 176,000 tons, about 5.4% lower than last year.
Support for early scrappage of older vehicles will also be revised. The government will end purchase support for gasoline and gas vehicles and shift support toward electric, hydrogen and hybrid vehicles, with a plan to supply 337,000 vehicles this year.
To reduce VOCs from everyday sources, the government will require low-emission painting methods, such as using rollers, at facilities used by sensitive groups including children and older adults. It will also prepare guidelines for the public sector on purchasing and using environmentally friendly organic solvent products.
The government said it will strengthen scientific management by introducing an integrated forecasting system that combines existing numerical models with AI, aiming to raise ozone forecast accuracy from 63% to 71%.
To improve accuracy, it will apply integrated prediction information that combines numerical modeling and AI to ozone forecasts. For areas without air-quality monitoring stations, it will provide an ozone estimated concentration image service using satellite data starting next month. It also plans to invest 3.6 billion won through 2030 in projects to identify ozone causes and develop reduction technologies.
The government will also expand guidance on how to respond to high ozone for schools, daycare centers, facilities for older adults and outdoor workers. It said it will provide ozone advisory and warning information quickly through the AirKorea mobile app.
“From May to August, when sunlight is strong and temperatures are high, the risk of high ozone levels is elevated,” Kim Jin-sik, director general of the ministry’s Air Environment Bureau, said. “We will do our utmost to protect public health by intensively managing precursors such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds and by providing ozone forecast information quickly.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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