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Busan Metropolitan City to Conduct Special Inspections in Response to Oil Price Instability to Establish Order in Petroleum Distribution

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will conduct “Special Inspections of Petroleum Retailers in Response to Oil Price Instability” to ease the economic burden on ordinary citizens amid growing concerns over oil price surges caused by instability in the Middle East and rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

○ The inspections are a preemptive measure following the government’s issuance of a “Concern” level resource security crisis alert on March 5 in accordance with the Special Act on National Resource Security.

○ The city plans to proactively block illegal petroleum distribution activities such as the sale of fake petroleum that may occur during periods of rising oil prices and maintain stable order in the petroleum market.

Busan Metropolitan City has been conducting special inspections since March 6 targeting a total of 493 petroleum retailers, including 361 gas stations and 132 general retailers within the city.

○ Seventeen inspection teams composed of city and district officials (34 personnel) have been deployed to carry out continuous inspections until the resource security crisis alert is lifted.

These inspections will focus intensively on overall petroleum distribution order, including whether fake petroleum is being sold and whether petroleum price display regulations are being properly followed.

○ Key inspection items include:
▲ Whether fake petroleum products are being sold
▲ Compliance with petroleum price display regulations
▲ Whether petroleum is sold in quantities below the legally required amount.

○ In cooperation with the Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority, undercover inspections will be conducted using unmarked inspection vehicles, and additional inspections will be carried out during vulnerable periods such as nighttime and holidays.

Particular emphasis will be placed on the western Busan area, where logistics demand is high, and on urban districts such as Haeundae, where price sensitivity is high.

○ When violations are detected, the city plans to take strict measures including immediate administrative actions such as fines and business suspension, as well as criminal complaints.

In addition, the city plans to participate in joint government-wide inspections targeting gas stations where there are concerns about imbalances in petroleum supply and demand or unfair transactions.

○ The city will also continue to monitor oil price trends and government policies, including the designation of maximum petroleum retail prices by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the release of strategic petroleum reserves, and will actively cooperate with policy responses.

○ Furthermore, the city plans to request voluntary participation from the gas station industry in stabilizing fuel prices and strengthen communication with the petroleum industry.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “We are maintaining an emergency response system in preparation for the possible prolonged Middle East crisis,” adding, “Through joint inspections by the city, districts and counties, and related institutions, we will restore order in the distribution of petroleum products and do our utmost to ease the fuel cost burden experienced by citizens.”