A state-funded research institute said Thursday that it has developed a new technology that helps diesel cars reduce soot emissions by nearly 95 percent and improves air quality.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials said it has completed 60,000-kilometer on-road tests on a diesel car equipped with the newly developed diesel particulate filter and a plasma burner.

The institute said the new system can be applied to vehicles around next year after winning government certification.

A PDF is a device that removes diesel particulate material, or soot, from diesel engine-emitted exhaust gas.

It has been used for diesel engines on large cargo trucks and locomotives due to its big size.

The KIMM has made the PDF smaller so that the equipment can be installed in passenger cars, and improved its functions to burn out nitrogen oxide, which is regarded as the main cause of smog and ultrafine dust.

Last week, the South Korean government announced a plan to control fine dust which has recently emerged as one of the biggest threats to public health, as the country has increasingly become more dust-polluted.

It will shut down coal-powered electric power generation plants that have been in operation for more than 40 years and restrict operations of old diesel cars.

Fine dust refers to particles that are smaller than 10 micrometers and have been known to cause various respiratory problems while also affecting the body's immune system.

The country has been experiencing frequent ultrafine alerts especially in the spring, with people required to refrain from outdoor activities. (Yonhap)