Fine dust levels highest of season, reduction measures implemented

Social Affairs

Published: 08 Jan. 2023, 18:14 Updated: 08 Jan. 2023, 18:17

Fine dust levels highest of season, reduction measures implemented

Fine dust blankets Seoul on Sunday. Korea’s air quality was the worst this season over the weekend. [YONHAP]

Korea’s air quality was the worst this season over the weekend, with ultrafine dust advisories issued for almost all of the nation.

The skating rink outside Seoul City Hall in downtown Seoul was closed as weather authorities strongly advised the public to stay indoors and refrain from outdoor activities.

The government announced emergency reduction measures to be implemented nationwide, forcing public facilities to reduce operations to cut back on emissions of air pollutants.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) warned that the air quality was expected to be bad throughout most parts of the country on Monday as well, especially in the greater Seoul area of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi, South Chungcheong, North Chungcheong, South Jeolla, North Jeolla, Daegu, North Gyeongsang and western Gangwon.

Fine dust levels will remain high for at least a couple of more days, the KMA said, adding that the pollutants were flying in from China and remaining above Korea due to weak winds.

The air quality started to worsen in Seoul on Thursday.

According to Air Korea, an air quality tracking website run by the Korea Environment Corporation, fine dust levels in downtown Seoul on Saturday at around 6 a.m. hit 135 micrograms per cubic meter, which was about four to five times higher than usual levels.

The ultrafine dust level at the same time and location reached 121 micrograms per cubic meter, about six to seven times higher than last year’s levels.

About three to four hours later, the fine dust level briefly dropped to 80 micrograms per cubic meter but soared to 152 micrograms per cubic meter at around 2 p.m.

On Saturday midnight, fine dust levels soared even higher, to 170 micrograms per cubic meter, though ultrafine dust levels dropped to 54 micrograms per cubic meter.

On Sunday morning, the fine dust level was 120 micrograms per cubic meter and the ultrafine dust level was 50 to 60 micrograms per cubic meter.

The Environment Ministry issued ultrafine dust advisories for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, western Gangwon, Daegu, North Gyeongsang, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong and Sejong, and said emergency reduction measures would be taken in those areas until Sunday night.

In a statement, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo urged the ministers of trade, industry and energy; land, infrastructure and transport; and oceans and fisheries to make sure that big emitters under their purview lower their operational rates.

Seoul’s ultrafine dust levels are known to be some of the highest in the world. In 2021, the city’s yearly average ultrafine dust level, 18 micrograms per cubic meter, was the 35th highest among the 38 capitals of OECD nations.

The Environment Ministry late last month announced it would try to slash ultrafine dust levels by 27.2 percent, akin to the levels of Paris and London, by the time President Yoon Suk-yeol completes his five-year term in 2027. The plan was part of the government’s third comprehensive plan to improve the atmospheric environment, effective from 2023 to 2032.

To meet the goals of the comprehensive plan, the Environment Ministry said it would toughen regulations on old diesel cars, in part by banning them in the country’s major cities. The ministry said it will also tighten control on both large factories and small businesses such as dry cleaners, convincing them to use eco-friendly materials and cut back on carbon emissions.

BY LEE SUNG-EUN, KANG CHAN-SU [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]