The government plans to ensure that 90 percent of cars used in the public sector are eco-friendly models by 2030, a drastic increase from the current 12.7 percent, the Ministry of Environment announced Tuesday.

Starting from next year, a total of 1,508 state-run or state-affiliated entities will be required to have electric, hydrogen or hybrid electric vehicles make up at least 80 percent of their new car purchases. Eventually, the ministry plans to require that all new car purchases be eco-friendly.

With that mandate, green cars are expected to comprise 35 percent of all cars owned by the public sector in 2022.

As of late last year, the figure stood at 12.7 percent, or 14,981 of the 118,314 total.

In 2019, the public sector purchased 15,463 vehicles, 4,270 of which -- 27.6 percent -- were eco-friendly.

Entities that fail to follow the regulation will face fines of up to 3 million won ($2,424), the ministry said, adding that all information on new vehicle purchases will be made public each year.  

Exemptions will be made for types of vehicles for which eco-friendly options are not yet available, it added. 

By Ko Jun-tae (ko.juntae@heraldcorp.com)