[Anchor]

As energy supply stabilizes following an agreement between the United States and Iran, the government has downgraded its crude oil resource security crisis alert from "Alert" to "Caution." Consequently, the alternate-day vehicle rotation system for public institutions and the five-day rotation system for public parking lots will be lifted starting today (July 1).

Jang Se-man, our climate and environment correspondent, reports.

[Reporter]

Park Ki-woo, who uses public parking lots for work, has struggled every Friday when the five-day rotation system prevented him from parking his car.

[Park Ki-woo / Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do: I couldn't use my car on Fridays, and since I often have important appointments and work during the day, there were many times I found it difficult.]

Opinions are divided on whether vehicle restrictions are effective in saving energy, with some questioning their impact while others argue they should be maintained.

[Jeon Jin-deok / Yangpyeong-dong, Seoul: Considering the current situation, I think it is inconvenient and I don't really feel the necessity for it.]

[Im Yo-na / Hwagok-dong, Seoul: Even if each person has to be a little inconvenienced, I think it might help lower the Earth's temperature a little bit for everyone.]

With the crude oil resource security crisis alert lowered from "Alert" (the third of four levels) to "Caution" (the second level), the government has decided to lift vehicle operation restrictions starting today.

The alternate-day system implemented at public institutions and the five-day rotation system applied to public parking lots will both be lifted. This marks the end of the restrictions after 98 days for public institutions and 84 days for public parking lots.

[Moon Shin-hak / Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy: In terms of the impact on consumption, it will not cause significant problems even if we do not continue the five-day rotation system.]

Initially, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment planned to relax the alternate-day system for public institutions to a five-day rotation system. However, following the President's opinion that it lacked effectiveness, the government decided to fully lift the restrictions for public institutions while encouraging voluntary participation in the five-day rotation system.

The government stated that the vehicle restrictions have saved 160,000 barrels of oil per month, an amount sufficient to fuel 480,000 passenger cars.

Reported by Jang Se-man | Video by Shin Se-eun | VJ by Oh Se-gwan