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Busan to Implement the 7th Seasonal Fine Dust Management Program, Restricting Grade 5 Emission Vehicles Citywide from December to March

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will implement the 7th Seasonal Fine Dust Management Program from this December through next March, during which Grade 5 emission vehicles* will be restricted from operating throughout the entire city.

• ●Grade 5 emission vehicles: Diesel vehicles manufactured before 2005; gasoline and LPG vehicles manufactured before 1987, based on the emission standards applied at the time of production.

The “Seasonal Fine Dust Management Program” is a policy designed to reduce damage and impacts caused by fine dust by implementing stronger reduction measures from December to the following March, when high concentrations occur frequently.
The city has implemented the program six times since December 2019, resulting in approximately a 32 percent improvement in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration compared to pre-implementation levels.

During the program period, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays (excluding weekends and public holidays), 43 enforcement cameras installed at 30 locations across the city will monitor Grade 5 emission vehicles. Owners of violating vehicles will be fined 100,000 KRW per day.

Emergency vehicles, vehicles with disability identification, and vehicles that have completed low-emission upgrades are exempt from enforcement. Even if cited, owners may have the fine waived if they complete low-emission upgrades by September 30, 2026.

The city will also issue Emergency Reduction Measures* when PM2.5 levels exceed a certain threshold during the management period and will carry out rapid-response actions to significantly reduce fine dust levels in a short timeframe.
When Emergency Reduction Measures are activated, actions include: operating an emergency response taskforce, enforcing alternate-day operation of public and administrative agency vehicles and restricting the use of government-owned vehicles, adjusting operating hours for workplaces and construction sites, strengthening monitoring of illegal emissions, and increasing the deployment of road-dust removal vehicles.

*Criteria for issuing Emergency Reduction Measures:
① Daily average PM2.5 concentration exceeding 50㎍/㎥ (0:00–16:00) with the following day also forecast to exceed a 24-hour average of 50㎍/㎥;
② Issuance of PM2.5 advisories (75㎍/㎥ or higher) or warnings (150㎍/㎥ or higher) between 0:00–16:00, with the following day forecast to exceed 50㎍/㎥;
③ Forecast of PM2.5 levels exceeding 75㎍/㎥ the next day.

In preparation for full implementation, the city conducted a two-day emergency response training exercise from November 18 to 19, simulating the issuance of Emergency Reduction Measures to test institutional response capacity and cooperation systems.
Additionally, to encourage participation in the vehicle operation restrictions and promote low-emission upgrades, the city conducted two rounds of mock enforcement targeting Grade 5 vehicles in October and November.

Lee Byeong-seok, Director General of Environmental Water Policy, stated, “By actively implementing fine dust reduction measures during the seasonal management period, we aim to maintain Busan’s position as the metropolitan city with the lowest annual average fine dust levels. We will continue working to preserve clean air for our citizens.
We ask for your understanding and cooperation despite some inconveniences, and we encourage owners of older diesel vehicles to participate proactively in air-quality improvement efforts through early scrappage, installation of emission reduction devices, and other low-emission measures.”