Are You Driving a 5th Grade Emission Vehicle? Discover the Benefits of Switching to EVs and Hybrids Today!

[A surveillance camera targeting high-emission vehicles is shown on Gangbyeonbuk-ro in Seoul’s Mapo District, heading towards Guri. (Yonhap News file photo)]

The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced on February 10 that it will discontinue subsidies for early scrapping of Grade 5 emission vehicles and installation of diesel particulate filters (DPF) on Grade 5 diesel vehicles after this year.

Grade 5 emission vehicles include gasoline and gas-powered vehicles manufactured before 1987, as well as diesel vehicles built before July 1, 2002 (pre-Euro 3 standards).

The ministry cited a significant decrease in the number of Grade 5 vehicles due to scrapping incentives and operational restrictions during high pollution periods in metropolitan areas and six major cities as reasons for ending the subsidy program.

By the end of last year, the number of Grade 5 vehicles registered for auto insurance had dropped to 160,000, an 84% reduction from the 1 million recorded in 2020.

Subsidies for early scrapping of Grade 4 emission vehicles (gasoline and gas vehicles made between 1988 and 1999, and diesel vehicles meeting 2006 standards) will continue.

Starting this year, to qualify for the secondary subsidy—which accounts for 30% of the total incentive—owners must replace their scrapped Grade 4 vehicle with an electric, hydrogen, or HYBErid model.