5 June, 2022, SEOUL- This morning activists from Greenpeace’s Seoul office installed a 4.5×4.5 meter LED billboard in front of the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, which calls on President Yoon Suk-Yeol to ban the sale of new gas and diesel vehicles by 2035, as he pledged during his campaign for office.
“This installation is a reminder to President Yoon that a transition to electric vehicles isn’t just necessary for the climate – it’s critical to ensure the competitiveness of Korea’s auto industry. During his campaign, President Yoon pledged to end the sale of combustion engine vehicles by 2035, but two months into his term, he has yet to act on his promise. Canada, the EU and California have all banned the sale of new combustion engine vehicles by 2035, and Norway and the UK have set even earlier targets. We need Korea to be among the first countries to cross the zero-emission finish line, not a straggler fighting to keep up,” said Greenpeace East Asia campaigner Erin Eunseo Choi, based in Seoul.
The billboard is located in front of the War Memorial of Korea, across the street from the Presidential Office. It reads: “윤석열 대통령님, 약속하셨죠? 2035년 경유·휘발유차 판매 금지,” which can be translated as “President Yoon, keep your promise. Ban diesel and gasoline cars by 2035.”
President Yoon committed in his election pledge book to outlaw the new registration of combustion engine vehicles effective by 2035. If realized, Yoon’s commitment would align South Korea’s zero-emission vehicle transition with International Energy Agency (IEA) recommendations.
A recent survey by Greenpeace East Asia Seoul office and the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) found that 82% of auto workers in Korea support a ban on the sale of new combustion engine vehicles by 2035.
Since 2016, Greenpeace has been campaigning automakers Ford, Volkswagen, Daimler, and BMW, as well as governments around the world, to suspend the production of combustion engine vehicles and switch to zero-emission vehicles.
“The facts are clear. A rapid transition to zero-emission vehicles is necessary for Korea’s auto industry to remain competitive internationally. The auto sector is our country’s biggest export industry. A slow transition to zero-emission vehicles would be a major blow to the economy and a disaster for the planet,” said Choi.
Notes:
Photos from the event will be uploaded to this folder at approximately noon (KST) on Tuesday, July 5. Videos will be available in the same folder later in the day.
Media Contact:
Minsoo Suh, Communications Officer, Greenpeace East Asia Seoul Office, +82 10 8915 2399 [email protected]