Poor air quality forecast across the country until Thursday

Seoul is coated in yellow dust on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

Air quality in Korea will be poor Wednesday due to yellow dust blowing in from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and China, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.

The yellow dust coming in with the north westerly wind is coating the peninsula, the KMA said.

The concentration of fine dust particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) per hour in Seoul was 193 micrograms per cubic meter as of 9:30 a.m., well above the "very unhealthy" level of 151 micrograms per cubic meter.

Southern areas saw worse particular matter levels — Jeju 525 micrograms per cubic meter, South Jeolla 417 micrograms per cubic meter, Busan 354 micrograms per cubic meter and South Gyeongsang 325 micrograms per cubic meter.

Fine dust alerts were issued across the country. The alert is issued if the PM10 density level is expected to stay above 150 micrograms per cubic meter for more than two hours.

The bad air quality is expected to continue through Thursday.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]