18 ministries, one-third still use gasoline trucks
“Plan to choose an eco-friendly car when it is time for replacement
President Moon Jae-in is listening to an explanation of a hydrogen car (Nexo) introduced as a presidential exclusive car from Park Gye-il, head of the Hyundai Motors Process Technology Division, in front of the Green House Green House in 2019. / Provided by the Blue House
While the government is pursuing a policy to expand the supply of electric and hydrogen vehicles, 6 out of 18 government ministers are still using gasoline vehicles as public vehicles.
On the 8th, the Korea Economic Daily conducted a full survey of the tolerance differences of 18 central ministries. It was a gasoline car.
Among them, after taking office, Minister Chung chose a gasoline truck instead of the hydrogen car that the former minister used. Due to the narrow seats, it was uncomfortable for an elderly minister to ride, so it was decided to use one of the existing shared cars of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a minister-only car.
Five people, including Unification Minister Lee In-young, use hydrogen cars, and seven others, including Hong Nam-gi, vice-prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance, use hybrid cars as public vehicles.
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The Moon Jae-in administration is pursuing GHG reduction policies such as the Green New Deal and carbon neutrality. The transportation sector is a key area for GHG reduction, and the government is putting emphasis on expanding the supply of electric and hydrogen vehicles.
Public institutions were ordered to take a leading role, and the use of low-emission vehicles was mandated. Starting this year, more than 80% of newly introduced vehicles should be selected as electric and hydrogen vehicles. Starting next year, 100% of new vehicles will be introduced as electric and hydrogen vehicles.
There are no separate regulations that mandate electric and hydrogen vehicles for ministerial vehicles. However, because of its large symbolism, there are not a few ministers who choose electric and hydrogen vehicles. In particular, Ministers of Environment Hanjeong-ae and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo, and other ministers responsible for the distribution of eco-friendly vehicles, often expose to the media the use of electric and hydrogen vehicles as public vehicles at various event venues.
An official from a government ministry who is using gasoline vehicles as a ministerial vehicle explained that “the public vehicle can be replaced only when certain conditions are met,” and “when the replacement time comes, we plan to choose an eco-friendly vehicle as much as possible.” In order to prevent frequent replacement of public vehicles, the current law requires replacement of public vehicles after meeting a mileage of 120,000 km or more and a useful life of 9 years.
It is reported that some ministries are using eco-friendly cars as ministerial vehicles, while gasoline cars are used as’second cars’. This is because if KTX is used to rush to and from Seoul where the National Assembly and the Blue House are located, and the government’s Sejong Complex, Sejong and Seoul each need a private car. The lack of infrastructure for charging electric and hydrogen vehicles in the city center or taking time to charge is also a factor.
Reporter Eunseo Koo [email protected]
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