Sejong, August 9 - The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) will implement regulations restricting small diesel trucks from being newly registered or increased on April 3, 2023. Before implementation, the Ministry will support the relevant industries in preparing for the plan. To implement the new system smoothly, the Ministry of Environment met with the Korea Integrated Logistics Association and four major courier service providers several times. During the meeting, they discussed the subsidy programs, support for EV charging stations, and public relations plan for transitioning delivery trucks to zero-emission vehicles. 

First, the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Integrated Logistics Association surveyed the four major courier service providers regarding the total number of vehicles planned to be converted to EVs by 2025. The Ministry intends to provide enough subsidies for conversion to meet the companies' demands shown in the survey. Particularly, the Ministry will revise the relevant guidelines so that a certain amount of electric trucks can be provided for courier services. The Ministry of Environment is discussing with the concerned authorities to diversify the ways to subsidize to meet the industries' massive demand. On the other hand, the courier service providers require their own efforts to make pre-contracts, considering the shipping time of the electric trucks.  

Moreover, the Ministry of Environment plans to invite the third public participation for the "Emission-free vehicle conversion project by region" if there is additional demand from the industry for EV charging facilities. The Ministry urged active participation in the project from the courier service providers. Despite the Ministry's encouragement, only one courier service provider applied to the first and second public participation since other companies had their own plans.

In addition, the Ministry of Environment stated that it would seek solutions through continuous communications with concerned stakeholders such as companies, ministries, and manufacturing companies for the issues raised in the past. 

The companies who want to purchase LPG vehicles instead of zero-emission vehicles may purchase a 1-ton LPG vehicle manufactured by December 2022 or a liquid phase direct injection (LPDi) vehicle with enhanced performance (to be released in December 2023). 

Park Yeon-jae, Director-General of Air Quality Policy Bureau, said, "The government will do everything possible to assist courier service providers and individual truck owners in switching from diesel to zero-emission vehicles. I would like to request the industry to participate in the institutional implementation regarding this issue."

Contact: Song Tae-gon, Senior Deputy Director

Transportation Environment Division / +82-(0)44-201-6929

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

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