Korea endures third consecutive day of dangerous fine dust levels

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Korea endures third consecutive day of dangerous fine dust levels

A person wearing a mask walks along the beach in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

A person wearing a mask walks along the beach in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

 
Fine dust shrouded Korea on Wednesday morning for the third consecutive day, raising concentration levels to "bad" across the nation, except for eastern Gangwon and Jeju Island.
 
Concentrations of fine dust soared to "very bad" levels in areas such as Seoul, southern Gyeonggi, western Gangwon, Sejong and North Chungcheong. 
 

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"Bad" levels indicate concentrations exceeding 81 micrograms per cubic meter, while "very bad" refers to levels above 150 micrograms per cubic meter.
 
As of 8 a.m., an ultrafine dust advisory has been issued for various regions nationwide, excluding South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla. An ultrafine dust advisory is issued when the average concentration of ultrafine particulate matter exceeds 75 micrograms per cubic meter for more than two consecutive hours.
 
Fine dust includes particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or smaller, while ultrafine dust consists of particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller.   
 
A woman wearing a mask crosses the street in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

A woman wearing a mask crosses the street in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

People wearing masks wait to cross the street in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

People wearing masks wait to cross the street in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

 
Emergency measures to reduce fine dust concentrations have been implemented in nine regions, including the Seoul metropolitan area, western Gangwon, Sejong, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, Gwangju and North Jeolla.
 
Measures include restrictions on the operation of Grade 5 emission vehicles, alternating vehicle use at public and administrative agencies, adjustments to operating hours at high-emission workplaces and limiting output at coal-fired power plants.  
 
Typically, fog dissipates after sunrise as temperatures rise. However, due to high concentrations of fine dust, many areas are expected to remain covered in dust fog throughout the day. 
 
Namsan Tower is faintly visible from the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Jan. 20, when an ultrafine dust advisory was issued as the concentration of fine particulate matter skyrocketed. [YONHAP]

Namsan Tower is faintly visible from the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Jan. 20, when an ultrafine dust advisory was issued as the concentration of fine particulate matter skyrocketed. [YONHAP]

Namsan Tower is faintly visible from the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

Namsan Tower is faintly visible from the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

 
Smog formed by dense fog and high concentrations of ultrafine dust blanketed the Seoul metropolitan area and the Chungcheong region on Tuesday morning. In Seoul’s Jung District, ultrafine dust levels surged to 115 micrograms per cubic meter at one point.
 
The Korea Meteorological Administration said Tuesday that the temperature dropped overnight, causing water vapor to condense and leading to the formation of fog. This fog was further exacerbated by pollutants in the atmosphere.
 
In areas such as the western coast of South Chungcheong, South Jeolla, northern inland regions of South Chungcheong, and the Seoul metropolitan area, dense fog will limit visibility to less than 200 meters (656 feet) throughout the morning on Wednesday. Other regions will also experience fog with visibility under 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) in some areas.  
 
Smog, formed by the combination of exhaust fumes and fog, can cause respiratory diseases, necessitating caution.
 
High-rise apartment complexes are blurred out by fine dust in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

High-rise apartment complexes are blurred out by fine dust in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 22. [NEWS1]

A view of Daegu covered in smog on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]

A view of Daegu covered in smog on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]

 
Air quality is expected to remain poor until Thursday, but the smog in the central regions is expected to gradually dissipate on Friday. 
 
Northerly winds are expected to alleviate the fine dust on Thursday. However, in southern Gyeonggi, South Chungcheong, Gwangju and North Jeolla, daily average fine dust concentrations are projected to exceed 36 micrograms per cubic meter on Friday.
 
However, the Ministry of Environment projected that ultrafine dust concentration levels will be bad on Thursday throughout the country, with the exception of Jeju and eastern Gangwon. 
 
"As domestic air stagnation is causing fine dust accumulation, we expect the fine dust to clear once air dispersion becomes more active," said Sung Ji-won, head of the National Air Emission Inventory and Research Center at the Environment Ministry. 

Update, Jan. 22: Added forecast of Thursday's ultrafine dust concentration level.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]
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