680,000ℓ of Urea Solution Produced on the 15th... Daily Usage Exceeds for the First Time

Lee Ok-won, the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, presides over and delivers opening remarks at the 9th joint inter-ministerial response meeting on the supply of urea solution held at the Government Seoul Office on the 16th. (Photo by Ministry of Economy and Finance)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been revealed that the production of urea solution is increasing back to the normal level before the shortage situation. Not only has the daily average usage been exceeded, but 10ℓ packaged products are also being supplied to gas stations other than the 100 key base gas stations.

On the 16th, the Ministry of Economy and Finance held an inter-ministerial joint response meeting on the supply and demand of urea solution at the Government Seoul Office, chaired by First Vice Minister Lee Eokwon, and announced this. As of the 15th, the production volume of urea solution was recorded at 683,000ℓ. This was more than 496,000ℓ on the 13th and 426,000ℓ on the 14th. The usual daily usage of vehicle urea solution is 600,000ℓ. In other words, this is the first time since the urea solution crisis expanded that production has exceeded the daily average usage.

The government is sequentially supplying 180ℓ of urea solution produced from 700 tons of vehicle urea to about 100 key base gas stations, confirmed during on-site inspections. Up to the 14th, 194,000ℓ were supplied to 74 gas stations, 157,000ℓ to 63 gas stations on the 15th, and an additional 160,000ℓ are being supplied to about 60 gas stations today. The supply of 10ℓ packaged products for small portions is also increasing. Currently, a private company has completed supplying 27,000 boxes to about 2,000 gas stations other than the 100 key base gas stations. This company supplied 429,000ℓ of urea solution on the 15th alone, which corresponds to about 70% of the average daily domestic consumption.

The government plans to maximize the operating rates of factories of five other companies besides this company. Although there is still a shortage of supply in the market, the government expects normalization as production volume rapidly increases. Using diplomatic channels, 18,700 tons of urea secured from China will be supported with early customs clearance and transportation means.

The disclosure of urea solution inventory status has also begun. From today, the inventory status of about 100 key base gas stations will be disclosed twice daily (at 14:00 and 20:00) on the websites of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Industry, and Opinet. The police are investigating 147 cases including hoarding and fraud through special crackdowns related to the urea solution crisis.

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