Sejong, April 5 - The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) has announced that the number of public slow electric vehicle (EV) chargers for which users themselves had submitted installation applications reached 10,000 as of March 23, 2023. In descending order, the provinces or cities with the most chargers are Gyeonggi-do (3,360 chargers), Seoul (1,081 chargers), Incheon (846 chargers), and Daegu (696 chargers), with the Seoul metropolitan area accounting for nearly 50%. In terms of charger capacity, the most demanded chargers in descending order are 7kW (9,408 chargers), pay-per-use outlets (423 chargers), 11kW (382 chargers), and 30kW (103 chargers), with 7kW chargers accounting for more than 90%.

In the past, only private EV charging service providers could apply for the installation of public slow EV chargers. Beginning of 2023, users, such as a representative of residential complexes, can choose an EV charger provider and apply for the installation. This system is intended to prevent EV chargers from being installed only at sites preferred by charger providers and thus increase the installation at places lacking charging stations, such as row houses and old apartments. In addition, the system is expected to address the increasing operating costs caused by excessive competition between EV charging service providers. In 2023, the Ministry of Environment, a concerned agency (The Korea Housing Managers Association), and local governments are actively promoting this system by sending notices on how to apply to install slow EV chargers and holding briefing sessions for representatives of residential complexes. 

This year, the Ministry plans to support installing 62,000 chargers (60,000 slow chargers and 2,000 fast chargers) at user-preferred locations. For slow chargers, users can apply themselves on the integrated website for zero-emission vehicles (ev.or.kr) until the budget is exhausted. For fast chargers, the Ministry will select recipients of such support through the ‘project for the local transition towards zero-emission vehicles, considering local characteristics and distribution of EVs.

In addition to installing EV chargers, the Ministry is developing measures to improve user convenience after installation. This year, the Korea Environment Corporation newly established the ‘Help Center’ to help charger providers maintain and repair their chargers in a timely manner. The center accepts charging facility user complaints, such as malfunctions of charging facilities, and sends the complaints to the relevant agencies operating the charging facilities. Then, the agencies take appropriate action and provide users with the corrective action results. This way, the center manages reports and complaints about charging facilities.

To eliminate the inconvenience of carrying a physical membership card needed when charging an EV, an ‘app card wallet for carrying several mobile cards’ will be developed and distributed by the second half of 2023. In addition, the zero-emission vehicle website will be loaded with features that enable users to use chargers at the facilities of all EV charger providers simply with a single membership card issued by an individual charging service provider. The website also provides real-time (updated every minute) information on whether chargers are malfunctioning, occupied, or available, as well as reservation status information. 

Park Yeon-jae, Director-General of the Air Quality Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Environment, said, “We will ensure that EV charging facilities are installed at places preferred by users and also improve user-oriented charging services to help the smooth distribution of electric vehicles.”

Contact: Kim Kyung-mi, Senior Deputy Director

Air Quality Future Strategy Division / +82-(0)44-201-6897

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr