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Ultrafine dust levels at Seoul subway stations dangerously high, data suggests

Published: 23 Oct. 2024, 15:52 Updated: 23 Oct. 2024, 19:24

LEE SOO-JUNG
[email protected]

Subway passengers walk on the metro platform at Euljiro 1-ga Station on line No. 2 in central Seoul last year. [NEWS1]

Subway passengers in Seoul had been exposed to polluted air inside the stations and on platforms with invisible but toxic ultrafine dust particulates that surpassed the safety limit, a data set from Seoul Metro showed.

A total of 94.8 percent of 250 subway stations along lines No. 1 to No. 8 in Seoul experienced days when the average ultrafine dust concentration levels exceeded the safety threshold of 50 micrograms per cubic meter between August of last year and this July, according to People Power Party Rep. Kim Wi-sang, who received the data from Seoul Metro on Sunday.

Moreover, 11.6 percent or 29 stations had yearly average ultrafine dust concentration levels over the safety limit.

In particular, eight of every ten subway stations along line No.1 — which began operation in 1974 — had yearly average ultrafine dust concentrations above the safety limit.

Jonggak Station on line No.1 in central Seoul recorded a yearly average of 142.1 micrograms per cubic meter — nearly three times the safety limit. Its highest average daily ultrafine dust concentration level was 273 micrograms per cubic meter. That number was over three times the Ministry of Environment’s criteria of 76 micrograms per cubic meter for issuing a “very bad” level forecast, the four-tier system's strongest warning.

The yearly average ultrafine dust concentrations at Jongno 5-ga and Dongdaemun stations were 91.5 and 81.2 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively.

A primary survey conducted by the Korea Environment Corporation (KEC) in June found that 62 rail and subway stations in the greater Seoul area were subject to air quality improvement measures. Of these, 49 were on lines No. 1 to No. 4, which are managed by Seoul Metro.

The KEC said old stations require “complete renovation and repairs.” It added that replacing the old systems with new ventilation systems or modernizing them helps reduce fine dust in stations.

Subway train cars are parked in a train depot in Seoul in 2023. [YONHAP]

However, the maintenance budget for upgrading the ventilation system is declining. The central government, city government and Seoul Metro jointly fund such projects.

The Environment Ministry said that 17.7 billion won ($12.8 million) was spent in 2020 to replace underground stations’ ventilation systems. However, this year’s spending remained at 6.6 billion won.

Rep. Kim said with around four stations in the country upgrading their ventilation systems each year, it would take "several decades to modernize entire outmoded ventilation systems at the current speed."

He said the government and authorities “should allocate more budget as polluted air at the stations can directly affect public health.”

Corruption in the procurement and supply of new ventilation systems is also attributed to the lack of notable progress in ventilation modernization efforts at subway stations.

In 2021, two employees from Seoul Metro faced a monthlong salary cut after they tampered with the selection process by intentionally excluding certain air filters to favor a particular product.

In July, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s anticorruption investigation unit raided the office and house of a Seoul Metro employee suspected of breach of duty in a ventilation modernization project.

An official from Seoul Metro said the company would decide on specific measures based on the investigation's results.

BY HYEON EUN-HWA, LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]