Samsung Electronics and SK Group will join the government's energy-saving policy to help overcome an energy crisis caused by a surge in global oil prices. Samsung will implement a 10-day vehicle rotation scheme at all domestic worksites, while SK Group will introduce a five-day scheme, and both will encourage employee participation, the companies said on March 25.

The move follows remarks by President Lee Jae-myung (이재명) at a cabinet meeting on March 24, when he said, "Public institutions should lead by example through measures such as a five-day vehicle rotation scheme, and I ask the public to join the energy-saving campaign by using public transportation and conserving electricity in daily life." The resource security crisis alert has been raised from "attention" to "caution" as a prolonged war in the Middle East has heightened uncertainty over crude oil supply and demand.

Samsung Electronics and other Samsung affiliates posted an internal notice on March 25 and will immediately implement the 10-day vehicle rotation scheme from March 26. Electric and hydrogen vehicles, vehicles carrying pregnant women or infants, and vehicles for people with disabilities will be exempt.

Samsung will also turn off 50 percent of lighting in non-work areas such as outdoor landscaping, corridors and rooftops at worksites. It will close and turn off lighting in unused parking areas on holidays. The company said it will also run campaigns such as cutting power to PCs and monitors when leaving work and blocking standby power for laboratory equipment, while routinely checking for sources of energy waste.

A Samsung official said the company plans to actively expand energy-saving measures in the future in step with government policy.

SK Group will apply weekday driving limits based on the last digit of licence plates from March 30. Vehicles ending in 1 and 6 will be restricted on Mondays, 2 and 7 on Tuesdays, 3 and 8 on Wednesdays, 4 and 9 on Thursdays, and 5 and 0 on Fridays. Electric and hydrogen vehicles and vehicles carrying people with disabilities, pregnant women or preschool children will be excluded.

It will also make full lights-out mandatory during lunch breaks and after work, and apply temperature settings of at least 26 degrees Celsius for cooling and no more than 18 degrees Celsius for heating. Elevators will run on alternating floors or limit use for lower floors of 3 to 4 floors and below. Each affiliate will implement detailed measures tailored to conditions at its sites across the group.

An official at the SK Supex Council said, "SK Group will do its best with a sense of responsibility and in unity in line with the government's energy-saving policy to overcome the national energy crisis."