The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced today (September 15) that it has prepared and recommended institutional improvement measures to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, local governments, and the Korea Local Finance Association to prevent damages such as sleep disorders caused by excessive nighttime lighting from outdoor advertisements.

While current laws set "permissible light emission standards" considering the brightness of artificial lighting, they are limited in application only to areas designated as lighting environment management zones and lighting fixtures subject to permits under outdoor advertisement laws.

Because of this, the ACRC noted that even when light pollution complaints are filed in some local governments, cases are often concluded after simple warnings if the locations are not designated management zones or if the lighting fixtures are not subject to the relevant standards.

In its improvement proposal, the ACRC recommended selectively designating additional lighting management environments, reasonably readjusting the scope of advertising lighting fixtures subject to permissible light emission standards, and including light pollution prevention content in mandatory training courses for outdoor advertising industry workers.

(Photo provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap)