Politics · South Korea · 4 hrs ago
Most factories caught exceeding air pollution limits received improvement orders
South Korea recorded 1,520 cases of factories exceeding air pollution limits from 2021 through August 2026.
In figures provided to Democratic Party lawmaker Eo Gi-gu, 1,475 cases ended with improvement orders, while 31 led to suspended operations.
In two 2021 cases, factories released chloroform at 10.1 times the limit and dichloromethane at about 8.9 times the limit, but both received improvement orders.
Current rules can allow improvement orders for repeated breaches linked to facility defects or failures before a suspension is imposed.
Eo said repeat offenders were not being punished more heavily, citing a case in which a business received improvement orders after five violations.
He called for closer checks on repeat offenders and on whether they made improvements; no further action was specified.
South Korea recorded 1,520 cases of factories exceeding air-pollutant emission limits from 2021 through August.
Authorities issued improvement orders in 1,475 cases, or 97% of the total, while 31 cases resulted in suspended operations.
Some factories were found emitting hazardous substances at many times the permitted levels but still received improvement orders.
Lawmaker Eo Gi-gu criticized the penalties and called for stronger action against repeat offenders.
- Who
- South Korean factories found to have exceeded air-pollutant emission limits, and the authorities that penalized them.
- What
- Most cases resulted in improvement orders; 31 led to suspended operations.
- When
- From 2021 through August; the article was published on October 24, 2026, local time.
- Where
- South Korea. Two cited cases involved factories in North Chungcheong Province.
- Why
- Eo Gi-gu said lenient penalties could fail to deter violations that threaten public health.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A factory in North Chungcheong Province was found emitting chloroform at 10.1 times the permitted level and received an improvement order.
Another factory in the province was found emitting dichloromethane at about 8.9 times the permitted level and received an improvement order.
Authorities recorded 1,520 cases of emissions exceeding permitted limits.
Yonhap reported Eo Gi-gu’s criticism of the penalties.
- Recorded violations
- 1,520 cases
- Improvement orders
- 1,475 cases (97%)
- Suspended operations
- 31 cases (2%)
- Chloroform reading
- 50.28 ppm, or 10.1 times the permitted level
- Dichloromethane reading
- 444.06 ppm, or about 8.9 times the permitted level
- Data period
- 2021 through August
1 source
What people are saying
If a business can emit hazardous substances at more than 10 times the limit and the same business is caught five times yet receives only lenient penalties, who would take the law seriously?
We must not grant impunity for illegal emissions that threaten public health, and should check whether repeat violators receive aggravated penalties and make improvements.