Korea imposes 2-day driving ban for public sector amid Middle East supply risks
Crude oil elevated to ‘alert’ level, natural gas to 'caution'
Gasoline and diesel prices are displayed at a gas station in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
The government said Wednesday that starting next week, it will tighten the public sector’s rotating vehicle ban from once in five days to a two-day odd-even schedule to curb energy demand, following the elevation of the crude oil alert to alert amid supply strains caused by the prolonged Middle East conflict.
The previous five-day rotation, which has been in effect since March 25, will remain voluntary for the private sector.
Under the new system, vehicles in public institutions will be restricted from operating every other business day based on the last digit of their license plate numbers, while public parking lots run by government agencies will continue to follow a separate five-day rotation schedule, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said.
The announcement came as Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan chaired the fifth resource security council meeting on the same day, where the government raised the crude oil alert level from caution to alert and natural gas from attention to caution, effective at the start of Thursday, signaling a heightened approach to managing potential energy disruptions.
Korea's resource security alert system has four levels — attention, caution, alert and serious — based on the severity of a crisis and its potential impact on daily life and the economy. Crude oil was first placed at attention on March 5 and raised to caution on March 18 due to worsening supply conditions following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Natural gas had remained at attention since March 5.
The meeting included representatives from 15 government ministries, including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as well as nine related agencies including Korea National Oil Corp., Korea Gas Corp. and Korea Petroleum Management Service.
The crude oil alert was raised after supply disruptions became apparent. The last tanker to pass through the Strait of Hormuz before its closure on March 1 arrived in Korea on March 20, resulting in more than 10 days of halted imports. Continued attacks on oil facilities in the Middle East have heightened geopolitical uncertainty. Meanwhile, natural gas supply remains stable through alternative sources, but surging prices in East Asia could drive up electricity and heating costs.
“The government will move to a higher-level response system following the alert upgrade. We ask citizens to join us in overcoming this serious crisis,” Kim said.