S.Korea to temporarily shut down aged coal power plants to reduce fine dust

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday ordered a temporary shutdown of eight aged coal power plants as part of efforts to reduce fine dust.

Senior presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan told a press conference that Moon had ordered a shutdown of aged coal power plants that had been run for over 30 years as an emergency measure to lower fine dust.

South Korea is operating a total of 59 coal-fired power plants, most of them located along the western coast. The plants have been cited as one of the main reasons for the growing damages from fine dust.

The new government planned to shut down eight aged plants in June alone this year, and to suspend operations of those plants from March to June next year when demand for electricity is relatively low.

It announced a plan to dismantle 10 aged coal power plants before President Moon's five-year term ends.

Moon instructed his senior secretary for social affairs to set up a government body dedicated to tackling the fine dust issue, which would act as a task force team inside the government.

His instruction was in line with the campaign pledges, in which he vowed to shut down coal power plants in springtime, dismantle 10 aged plants that were run for over 30 years and review the construction of further coal-fired power plants. Endit