South Korea's president calls for energy saving campaign including curbs on cars

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for a nationwide energy-saving campaign over risks to oil and gas supplies from the Iran war, saying public institutions would cut back on their use of passenger cars.



Energy Minister Kim Sung-whan told a Cabinet meeting private-sector vehicle curbs were voluntary for now, but could be reviewed if the energy alert level increased.



The government would ask the top 50 oil-consuming businesses to cut use, and encourage staggered commuting hours and other conservation steps, he said.

Kim also said Seoul would restart five nuclear reactors by May, ease restrictions on coal plants and expand renewable energy to reduce longer-term dependence on liquefied natural gas.