"Soaring International Oil Prices"... Surge in Fake Oil Sales

International Oil Prices Surpass $100
'Fake Oil' Detection Continues
Noh Yong-ho: "Strengthen Crackdowns and Activate Reward System"

As international oil prices soar, concerns are rising that large quantities of "fake oil" could circulate in the second half of this year. Gas stations caught selling fake oil were most frequently found in Gyeongbuk, Gyeonggi, Chungnam, and Gangwon, and there is a need for caution as fake oil could also be distributed during the upcoming Chuseok holiday travel period.

According to data submitted by the Korea Petroleum Quality Management Authority to the office of Roh Yong-ho, a member of the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee from the People Power Party, the number of gas stations caught selling fake oil over the past five years was only 36 in 2019, but increased to 70 in 2020, 88 in 2021, and 65 in 2022. As of August this year, 32 cases have been recorded.

Fake oil cases included mixing petrochemical products with automotive gasoline or installing illegal facilities to sell fake diesel mixed with kerosene. There were also cases where fake oil was used as fuel for construction machinery and subsequently detected.

There was also a significant regional variation in the locations of gas stations selling fake oil. Gyeongbuk had the highest number with 44 cases, followed by Gyeonggi with 36, Chungnam with 34, Gangwon with 33, Gyeongnam with 30, Jeonbuk and Chungbuk each with 29, and Jeonnam with 13. In contrast, Incheon had 9 cases, Busan 8, Daegu, Daejeon, and Ulsan each 7, Gwangju and Sejong each 2, and Seoul only 1 case. No cases were detected in Jeju.

International oil prices, which plummeted immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, have recently surged to $90 per barrel (approximately 120,000 KRW) due to reopening and the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Experts predict that international oil prices could soon surpass $100 per barrel. Some institutions are also forecasting that by 2026, international oil prices could reach $150 per barrel.

Because of this, there are forecasts that the number of gas stations selling "fake oil," which mixes diesel, kerosene, and other substances with petroleum, may increase further. Gas stations selling fake oil have not been eradicated and are consistently caught every year, with the possibility of fake oil sales increasing as oil prices rise.

Using fake oil in vehicles and machinery can cause defects, raising concerns about safety accidents. Roh Yong-ho stated, "Relying solely on post-detection measures is insufficient to stop the sale of fake oil," and added, "Relevant authorities must strengthen crackdowns and activate reporting systems to make greater efforts to eradicate the distribution of fake oil."

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