Seoul Institute of Health and Environment to Specialize in Managing 'Light Pollution'... Inspections in September and October

Si-Jachigu-Institute, Resolving Complaints Through Systematic Inspections via Cooperation
Joint On-Site Inspection of Decorative and Advertising Light Pollution in Parts of Seoul Until October

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Institute of Health and Environment Research will officially begin light pollution inspection work starting this September to address urban problems caused by excessive brightness at night due to artificial lighting.

Going forward, the institute plans to establish an organic cooperation system with the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Urban Light Policy Division and 25 autonomous districts to professionally manage and resolve light pollution complaints and create a sustainable light environment. Until now, handling light pollution complaints was challenging because district officials had to manage these tasks alongside other duties, limiting the use of specialized equipment for on-site inspections.

From September to October, the institute and the Urban Light Policy Division will conduct joint inspections to assess the management status of lighting facilities installed and operated throughout Seoul and to verify compliance with light emission standards for newly installed lighting fixtures. The inspection targets include space lighting such as security lights, streetlights, and park lights reviewed by the Seoul Good Light Committee, composed of private experts on light pollution, as well as decorative lighting on commercial facilities, apartment complexes, and structures. During the joint inspection, the institute will measure illuminance and luminance to determine the occurrence of light pollution.

Additionally, the institute plans to evaluate the impact of artificial lighting on nighttime cicada noise, which is known to be highly correlated with excessive artificial lighting in urban areas, by using precise light pollution measurement equipment such as video luminance meters in the affected regions.

Shin Yong-seung, director of the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment Research, stated, “With professional and systematic light pollution inspections by the institute, rapid handling of complaints will be possible, actively alleviating citizen inconvenience, enhancing administrative reliability, and reducing the administrative burden on autonomous districts.” He added, “The institute aims to establish itself as a specialized light pollution inspection agency equipped with practical and research capabilities related to light pollution, doing its best to ensure that Seoul citizens can live in a healthy and pleasant good light environment.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.