Environment ministry proposes integrated permits for seven industries

The environment ministry said it would expand its integrated environmental permit system to cover seven industries, including automobile and secondary-battery manufacturing, citing shifts in industrial structure and the need for fairer treatment among sectors.

Draft revisions will be open for public comment from Aug. 26 to Oct. 6. The changes would bring the new sectors into the system in stages in January 2028 and January 2029, while existing facilities would receive a four-year grace period.

The system combines air, water, waste and other environmental approvals for sites with high pollutant emissions.

The draft sets staffing and equipment standards for permit agencies that prepare annual reports on behalf of operators. Those agencies would need at least two dedicated technical staff in addition to the five required for registration.

Companies with fewer than 50 employees could appoint environmental professionals who have completed integrated-management training and have at least eight years' experience as managers even without the usual qualifications. Businesses graduating from small-company status would keep the rule for up to one year.

"We drafted these revisions to rationally expand integrated-permit coverage in response to changes in industrial structure and pollutant-emission characteristics, while improving the professionalism and accountability of annual-report preparation services," Kim Jin-sik, director general for air quality at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, said.