The new Moon Jae-in administration is likely to deregulate liquefied petroleum gas for motors, as he has vowed to remove diesel vehicles from roads by 2030, industry insiders said Thursday.

Besides Moon, other presidential candidates had also been supportive of deregulating LPG cars on the grounds they produce one-thirtieth of the ultrafine dust produced by diesel vehicles. 

“South Korean citizens are suffering from various health-related problems due to high levels of fine dust. Vehicles generate up to 25 percent of fine dust, so deregulation of LPG cars will help decrease toxic particles,” said Kim Pil-soo, a professor of automotive engineering at Daelim University.

“The issue surrounding LPG vehicles stems from the prolonged tug-of-war between the country’s oil and LPG businesses. It will take some time before deregulation is approved.”

South Korea is the only country that regulates LPG cars, according to the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry and Energy Committee.

The law currently only allows the disabled, persons of national merit, taxis and car rental businesses to buy LPG cars.

Other consumers can buy LPG compact cars, LPG recreational cars for seven or more passengers and used LPG vehicles that have been registered for at least five years.

A task force launched in March comprising members from the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Environment and related businesses are expected to put together a system to make better use of LPG.

When deregulation is widened to recreational vehicles of less than seven passengers, the number of LPG cars on roads will rise up to 40 percent, while demand for LPG is expected to increase by more than 2 million tons, the task force said.

When the regulation is abolished, sales of LPG cars are projected to be boosted by over 50 percent and LPG demand will expand by up to 7.5 million tons, it added.

In contrast to South Korea, other countries foster LPG car use to tackle climate change.

Drivers in the US, for instance, receive a tax discount of 50 cents per gallon of LPG.

According to Kim, LPG cars are a suitable alternative in the transition stage to electric vehicles, as they can help decrease South Korea’s fine dust levels. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)