• Government considers expanding restrictions to include private passenger cars
• Move aims to curb energy consumption amid rising oil prices

South Korea is studying the possibility of expanding car usage restrictions to include the general public if global oil prices rise further, senior officials said, in a step aimed at managing energy consumption amid supply pressures caused by global tensions and rising prices.

Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said the government could extend the restrictions to cover private passenger cars, instead of limiting them to government institutions, if oil prices climb to around $120–130 per barrel, compared with the current $100–110 range.

The minister noted that expanding the restrictions to all citizens would be the first of its kind since 1991, when the government implemented a ten-day vehicle rotation system to conserve energy.

Koo added on a local broadcast: “If the situation worsens, the crisis alert will need to be raised to the ‘warning’ level, at which point limiting consumption will become necessary,” referring to the third stage of the national resource crisis alert system, which has four levels.

He also noted that the government may consider further fuel tax cuts to ease the burden on households.

In a separate statement, the Finance Ministry said that mandatory restrictions for the private sector have not yet been decided, emphasizing that authorities would take energy supply conditions and broader economic factors into account before making any decision.

South Korea imports about 70% of its crude oil from the Middle East, leaving it highly vulnerable to supply disruptions and sharp price fluctuations resulting from regional tensions.

Last week, the government enforced a mandatory five-day vehicle rotation system for the public sector, restricting car use based on license plate numbers.

Energy Minister Kim Sung-whan said last Thursday that authorities are reviewing stricter measures to manage energy demand if the alert level rises further, including expanding the driving restrictions, while encouraging voluntary participation from companies and the financial sector.

Major corporations have joined the effort, urging employees to reduce private car use and adopt measures to conserve fuel.

Lawmakers and senior politicians have used social media to encourage citizens to use public transportation, bicycles, and participate in energy-saving efforts.

The Energy Minister also sought to curb panic buying of plastic bags after some consumers began stockpiling them in anticipation of a potential shortage.

He stated in a Facebook post that more than half of local authorities have a six-month supply of trash bags and confirmed that South Korea would allow the use of regular bags in worst-case scenarios.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for accelerating the shift to renewable energy sources, such as electric vehicles, emphasizing that “the energy crisis is so severe that I cannot sleep at night.”