This year, all 17 cases of exceeding the standards for sulfur content in ship fuel oil occurred under the jurisdiction of the Namhae Coast Guard.

It was found that all cases of exceeding the standards for sulfur content in ship fuel oil detected this year occurred under the jurisdiction of the Namhae Regional Coast Guard.

According to data submitted by the Korea Coast Guard on the 27th by People Power Party lawmaker Lee Yang-soo (Sokcho, Inje, Goseong, Yangyang), a member of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, it was revealed that all 17 cases of exceeding the standard for sulfur content in ship fuel oil detected from January to August came under the jurisdiction of the South Sea Coast Guard.

The sulfur component contained in ship fuel oil generates sulfur oxides during the combustion process, which can affect the respiratory health of port area residents.

Five ports, including Busan Port, Incheon Port, Ulsan Port, Yeosu/Gwangyang Port, and Pyeongtaek/Dangjin Port, are designated as sulfur oxide emission control areas, and the sulfur content standard for ship fuel oil of less than 0.1%, which is more stringent than general sea areas, is applied.

This year, the Central Coast, West Sea, East Sea, and Jeju Coast Guards inspected a total of 774 ships, but there were no cases of detection.

On the other hand, the South Sea Coast Guard inspected 305 ships and detected 17 cases this year, which already exceeds the 13 cases detected nationwide last year.

Meanwhile, the number of detections from 2021 to August this year was 126.

The cumulative number of detections by regional office during this period was 56 in the South Sea, 33 in the East Sea, 19 in the central region, 13 in the West Sea, and 5 in Jeju, with the jurisdiction of the Namhae Office accounting for 44.4% of the total.

Rep. Lee Yang-su said, "Pollutants generated from ships and ports can affect the health and living environment of nearby residents, so proactive prevention and thorough management are important," and pointed out, "We must closely analyze the causes of all 17 cases of exceeding the sulfur content standards detected under the jurisdiction of the Namhae Office and inspect the entire fuel supply process."