Ulsan to Run Low Light Emission Zones from Next Year

- Classifying the entire city of Ulsan into classes 1–4 and applying the differential light emission standards
- The existing lightings should be improved by 2025

 Ulsan announced that it will run low light emission zones (LLEZ) from January 1 next year, classifying the entire city of Ulsan, excluding the national industrial complexes, into classes 1–4 according to the use, and applying the differential light emission standards.
LLEZs are designated by the mayor and governor on areas that generate or have the potential to generate light pollution and are obligated to comply with the light emission standards.
The light emission standards are classified into classes 1–4 by land use, and they are classified into spatial lighting, commercial lighting, and decorative lighting by lighting type. Each zone is required to control their lightings according to these standards from 60 minutes after sunset until 60 minutes before sunrise.
The lightings subject to the light emission standards include spatial lightings such as street lights, security lights, park lights, and outdoor sports lights; commercial lightings of outdoor ads subject for permission; and decorative lightings installed on buildings of five stories or higher or with an area of 2,000 ㎡ or more, bridges, accommodations, recreational facilities, cultural assets, and artworks.
The luminance of light unnecessarily emitted to residential areas is limited for spatial lightings such as street lamps, security lamps, and park lamps. For commercial lightings and decorative lightings, the luminance of lamps is limited.
For lighting installed before the date of the official operation of LLEZs, the standards will be effective from January 1 of 2026, considering the burden of management personnel and the lifecycle of lighting fixtures.
An official from the Ulsan City Government said, “We expect that the operation of LLEZs will contribute to creating a pleasant living environment by preventing light pollution caused by excessive artificial lights.”
Ulsan designated LLEZs as means of preventing light pollution after the environmental impact evaluation of light pollution conducted in 2020 showed a 61.9% excess rate of the light emission standards. The city plans to reduce light pollution by ensuring strict management in nurturing a green light environment.