By Kang Seung-woo
Staff reporter
In the heat of summer, department stores and banks usually served as a cooling spot for not just customers but also for people who wanted to escape the scorching heat outside and feel some air conditioning at full blast with the thermostat set low in the high teens.
Those days are now numbered.
Amid high petroleum prices, the government has intervened to tell those outlets to raise the room temperatures and join the energy conservation drive.
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said Wednesday that it will implement the related rules more strictly in order to rein in the surge in electricity use due to an overuse of air conditioning during the summer season.
The enforcement of the rules has been lax so far.
Retailers such as department stores and neighborhood banks, which are now accused of setting air conditioners too high, have been put under government's surveillance after being criticized for wasting power.
The affected businesses are currently required to raise the interior temperatures to 26 degrees centigrade. When crowded, they may be allowed to bring it down by one degree to 25. But the restrictions are rarely adhered to.
"There have been a lot of energy-wasting circumstances in the retailing and service sectors. Their practices are against the government's drive to conserve energy," Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Kyung-hwan told heads of businesses.
They jointly agreed to the minister's suggestion on the spot.
The government conducted a survey of 40 business places and banks for two weeks and it found that just 22 had been obeying the recommended measures.
The government intends to conduct an inspection of about 100 service areas in July, when more power is expected to be used.
Violators will face fines of up to 3 million won ($253).
Hospitals, factories and food companies are exempt from this rule.
"Among 844 buildings that are overusing energy, 395 belong to the retail and service sector. Along with the government's drive, the agreement from business representatives is expected to contribute to saving energy," a ministry official said.