The Seoul municipal government said Wednesday it will discourage shops from leaving their doors open while the air conditioning is on as part of a campaign to save energy in the hot summer months.

Starting Thursday, officials from the city government, the central ward of Junggu, the state-run power monopoly Korea Electric Power Corp., and a civic group will visit shops in the shopping district of Myeongdong to ensure indoor temperatures are kept at 26 C and doors are not left open when the air conditioning is on, the city government said.

They also plan to ask shop owners to refrain from using air conditioners during the peak hours of 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. when electricity consumption is highest.

The inspection teams plan to visit other parts of the city starting next month, and following an official announcement from the central government in July, impose a fine on shopkeepers who ignore their guidelines, the city government said. (Yonhap News)