South Korea said Thursday it will suspend the operation of coal-powered plants over the winter to reduce fine dust emissions.

Eight to 15 coal power plants will suspend operations from Sunday to Feb. 29, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Other plants will be instructed to maintain their power output at 80 percent of capacity depending on demand.

Through such efforts, South Korea is expected to reduce the emission of fine dust by 44 percent compared to a year earlier over the three-month period, it added.

Fine dust, which can penetrate deep into the lungs, is a potential cause of respiratory diseases and cancer.

Seoul already had local coal power plants scale down their operations in the spring this year, as South Korea usually experiences the highest level of fine dust during that season.

In line with efforts to cut the emission of such pollutants, the ministry has also been promoting the use of low sulfur coal at local power plants to reduce emissions of sulfur oxide, which accounts for three-quarters of fine dust from coal plants.

Earlier this month, South Korea unveiled a set of measures to limit fine dust pollution, including banning nonessential public vehicles from roads every other day in major cities for four months beginning in December.  (Yonhap)