Public organizations will have to choose only eco-friendly cars when purchasing new automobiles, in line with the country's green energy drive, the industry ministry said Tuesday.

"In order to speed up the transition, it is necessary to create new demands," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a statement.

The eco-friendly cars refer to electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel-cell cars, as well as hybrid models.

South Korea launched a rule in 2016 that required public bodies to have eco-friendly cars take up 50 percent of their new vehicles, which was revised up to 70 percent in 2018.

The country plans to have eco-friendly cars, including hydrogen fuel cell cars, take up 30 percent of the total automobiles registered in the country by 2030, rising sharply from the current estimate of 3 percent.

The government currently plans to require that green cars take up a certain portion of the new automobiles of major buyers, including rental car operators and conglomerates, as well. (Yonhap)