Environment ministry launches special crackdown to prevent holiday pollution

The environment ministry said it will launch a special campaign to prevent illegal pollution during the upcoming Chuseok holiday, deploying advanced surveillance equipment and operating emergency response centers. Running from Sept. 18 to Oct. 8, the initiative targets major emission sources and vulnerable areas with intensified inspections.

Officials plan to monitor approximately 3,400 business locations, focusing on facilities discharging into public waters, large air polluters and sites with repeated violations. The ministry will utilize unmanned drones and mobile measurement vehicles, ordering immediate additional inspections for any plants suspected of illegal discharge.

Ahead of the holiday, authorities will distribute self-inspection notices to more than 31,000 major industrial sites to encourage voluntary compliance. The operation involves joint participation by the central ministry, seven regional environmental offices and local governments.

During the holiday, regional situation rooms and a dedicated reporting window accessible at 128 will remain operational to handle citizen complaints. The ministry pledged to respond swiftly to any environmental accidents through enhanced patrols of rivers and vulnerable districts.

From Sept. 28 to Oct. 8, officials will visit small businesses and facilities with previous issues to provide technical support for pollution prevention equipment.

Last year's campaign found violations at 103 out of 2,328 monitored sites, a 4.4 percent infraction rate. Common offenses included failure to report emission facilities, exceeding discharge limits and neglecting damaged prevention equipment.

Jin Myung-ho, an inspector general at the ministry, stated that his team would do its utmost to preemptively stop illegal acts so the public can spend the holiday with peace of mind.