Starting Monday, buildings and commercial shops in South Korea that keep their doors open while running heaters will face as much as 3 million won ($2,800) in fines, officials said Saturday.
The measure is part of the government’s mandatory campaign to save electricity as the nation is bracing for an unusually cold winter amid risks of a possible power shortage.
Big commercial buildings such as hotels and department stores will be required to keep their thermostats at 20 degrees Celsius or lower from this week.
In another power-conservation measure, shop owners will be required to turn off their neon signs between 5 and 7 p.m., officials said.
Last week, the nation’s peak electricity consumption shot up to a new all-time high of 76.93 million kilowatts as temperatures dropped to the lowest levels so far this winter. (Yonhap News)
