Gyeonggi-do Holds Emergency Meeting on Urea Solution... Acting Governor Oh Byeong-kwon Calls for "Local Government-Level Measures"

Oh Byeong-kwon, Acting Governor of Gyeonggi Province, is presiding over a video conference on recent issues related to urea solution with deputy heads of 31 cities and counties in the province on the 8th.

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has decided to actively support government personnel in cracking down on hoarding of 'urea solution.' In addition, Gyeonggi Province, along with cities, counties, and public institutions, has prepared and will implement emergency measures to overcome the urea solution shortage crisis, including refraining from using diesel vehicles.

On the 8th, Oh Byeong-kwon, Acting Governor of Gyeonggi Province, held an emergency video conference with deputy heads of 31 cities and counties in the province to discuss the current market situation and response measures related to urea solution.

At the meeting, Acting Governor Oh said, "If this situation prolongs, there are concerns about disruptions not only to public transportation such as buses, which are closely linked to residents' daily lives, but also to emergency vehicle operations including logistics, fire trucks, and ambulances." He added, "Since relevant ministries are working on countermeasures, please actively cooperate with central government policies and consider and implement measures that local governments can take."

Accordingly, the province plans to actively cooperate with the government's joint intensive crackdown on hoarding.

Along with this, the province is strengthening air quality monitoring and is considering requesting that the province, 31 cities and counties, and public institutions refrain from using diesel vehicles except for essential ones.

In particular, as the urea solution shortage crisis may prolong, the province is monitoring the operation status of buses and taxis, anticipating disruptions in public transportation.

In case of operational disruptions, plans are also being considered to establish emergency transportation measures targeting affected areas and routes. Diesel vehicles using urea solution in the province include 415,654 private vehicles, 7,273 buses (city, intercity, village), 245 taxis and rental cars, and 128,893 freight trucks.

The province is also reviewing measures to expand short-term supply volumes by increasing personnel in related companies and identifying difficulties faced by companies suffering from the urea solution shortage, to propose these to the government.

Meanwhile, urea solution is made by extracting ammonia from coal and then mixing water with the resulting urea. Most domestic companies import urea solution from China for sale.

However, recently, due to conflicts between China and Australia, coal imports have decreased, and with strengthened coal mining regulations for reasons such as carbon neutrality, coal usage has sharply declined, leading to a significant reduction in urea solution production and a steep drop in domestic imports.

Urea solution is widely used as a catalyst to separate nitrogen oxides, the main component of diesel vehicle exhaust, into nitrogen and oxygen. It is also used to reduce carbon emissions in industries such as cement production, which emit large amounts of carbon. Additionally, it is used as a raw material for fertilizers in fertilizer factories, among other diverse applications.

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