Why LPG Vehicle Fires Are Still a Problem in South Korea's EV Era (2026)

South Korea is often held up as a model for electric vehicle adoption — generous subsidies, a fast-growing charging network, and ambitious government targets. But a recent roadside fire in the city of Cheongju is a stark reminder that millions of older LPG-powered vehicles are still on Korean roads, and the safety infrastructure around them is quietly crumbling.

What happened in Cheongju

On May 25, 2025, at 9:34 PM, an LPG vehicle burst into flames while driving on a road near Jidong-dong in Cheongju's Heungdeok district. The driver — a man in his 30s — suffered burns to his face and upper body and was rushed to hospital. Firefighters arrived and extinguished the blaze within nine minutes, but by then the vehicle's interior was completely gutted. Official property damage was assessed at roughly 1.1 million won (about USD 800). The number sounds small. For the person sitting in the driver's seat, nine minutes of fire felt anything but.

The bigger picture: LPG accidents are not declining

This was not an isolated incident. In 2025 alone, South Korea recorded 65 gas-related vehicle accidents nationwide, and 37 of them — more than half — involved LPG systems. The Chungcheong region, where Cheongju is located, accounted for nine of those incidents, or 13.7% of the national total, despite having a much smaller share of the population.

Just a month earlier, in April, a separate gas explosion hit Cheongju's Bongmyeong-dong neighborhood. Investigators found that a safety shutoff device had failed to activate, and the case remains under criminal investigation.

Why the Chungcheong region is a hotspot

Chungcheong has an unusually high dependence on LPG fuel. It's not just taxis and commercial fleets — private car owners there have long favored LPG for its lower fuel cost. But the region's EV charging infrastructure lags well behind the Seoul metropolitan area, so the transition away from gas-powered vehicles has been slower. Add aging LPG storage tanks in rural areas and understaffed small-scale filling stations, and the result is a persistent accident rate that other regions have managed to bring down.

A policy blind spot in the energy transition

The structural problem is clear. As government budgets and policy attention have shifted toward EV subsidies and charging networks, funding for LPG vehicle safety inspections, parts replacement, and maintenance infrastructure has been deprioritized.

The 2025 accident data makes this visible: 50.8% of LPG incidents were attributed to "user mishandling," and 35.6% to "facility deficiency." These two categories share the same root — the maintenance and oversight system is no longer functioning properly. Drivers are not getting the guidance or services they need, and facilities are not being kept up to standard.

This is the paradox of energy transitions everywhere: the excitement and investment flow toward the new technology, while the old technology — still in daily use by millions — loses its safety net.

How long will LPG vehicles remain on Korean roads?

As of 2026, South Korea still has more than two million registered LPG vehicles. Even at the current pace of EV adoption, analysts expect a significant number to remain in service well into the mid-2030s. The government is actively pushing to convert LPG taxis to electric, but the switch for privately owned cars and freight vehicles is much slower — largely because owners cannot afford the upfront cost of replacement.

What LPG vehicle owners should know

LPG vehicle fires typically originate from mechanical or electrical faults in the engine compartment, or from problems in the fuel supply system — hoses, valves, and regulators. Compared to petrol vehicles, LPG cars carry a higher explosion risk, making early response critical.

• Annual inspection: Have fuel-system hoses, valves, and regulators professionally checked at least once a year. For vehicles older than 10 years, installing a gas leak detector is strongly recommended.
• Gas cylinder checks: LPG cylinders must be re-inspected after 15 years from manufacture. Vehicles over five years old require an annual statutory inspection.
• Warning signs: If you smell fuel or feel unusual vibrations when starting the engine, stop driving immediately, move to a ventilated area, and call emergency services (119 in Korea).
• Escape window: In the event of fire, experts recommend evacuating within one to two minutes and moving at least 50 meters from the vehicle due to explosion risk.

The takeaway

The Cheongju fire ended with one vehicle destroyed and one person injured. But it is better understood not as a single accident, but as a symptom — a signal that the gap between building new energy infrastructure and safely retiring old systems is widening. The speed at which a country adopts new technology must be matched by the care it takes in phasing out the old.