By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

Ash from the volcanic eruption in Iceland is forecast to reach the Korean Peninsula's atmosphere Tuesday, the weather agency said Monday. However, its impact on respiratory diseases or other health conditions is expected to be minimal.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajokull will enter the atmosphere 6,000 to 8,000 meters above the ground on Tuesday and 3,000 to 5,000 meters above it on Thursday.

"The heavier ash has already been scattered in the European atmosphere and people will not be affected by the micro-scale dust," it said in a press release.

The clouds of ash, on the other hand, have halted flights around the world as most airports in Europe have temporarily shut down. The ash is said to interfere with the jet engines and other critical parts of the airplane.

The eruption caused virtually all airports in England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Belgium, northern France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and much of Norway, Italy, Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia to close.

More than 50,000 flights have been canceled in Europe so far and the International Civil Aviation Organization assumes the damage will surpass that following 9/11 in 2001, when all flights to the U.S. were canceled.

International media said the airlines are collectively losing more than $200 million a day.

Here, a total of 33 flights from Incheon International Airport were canceled over four consecutive days, as more airports in southern European states closed due to the movement of the ash plume.

Foreign passengers have been put up at nearby inns and hotels till relevant flights are available. Those who insisted on waiting inside the airport were provided with blankets, shower facilities, beverages and vouchers for canteens.

"It seems that the suspension of flights will last for longer than we expected," Kim Ki-min, spokesman for the airport, said.

Kim did not give details on the damage the cancellations have caused, but it was evident on Monday as 70 employees from 38 domestic companies couldn't fly over to Germany for the Hanover Messe, an international trade show, held Monday through Friday.

The Korean booth is practically empty, they said. Some other passengers have complained about business emergencies, too.

However, it seems that carriers may face another bump as Icelandic geologists warned about the possible eruption of the Katla volcano in the near future, according to Xinhua News.

"Flights to Europe are unlikely until the end of the month," an Asiana Airlines official said. "We won't resume flights until everything is proved to be safe."



아이슬란드 화산재 한반도 통과

아이슬란드 화산 폭발로 인한 화산재가 20일 한반도를 통과할 것으로 예상된다. 그러나 다행히 그 영향은 크지 않을 것으로 전망된다.

기상청은 화산재는 20일 6000-8000m의 상공을 통과하고, 22일에는 3000-5000m의 상공에 위치할 것이라고 발표했다.

기상청 관계자는 “굵은 입자의 화산재가 유럽에 폭넓게 확산되어 있지만, 사람들에게 마이크로 단위의 먼지에 의한 피해는 없을 것”이라고 전했다. 또한 “일부만이 먼지를 체감할 수 있는 정도”라고 설명했다,

반면, 화산재가 비행기의 제트 엔진과 다른 중요 부품들에 문제를 일으킬 수 있어 유럽의 대부분 공항들은 일시적으로 폐쇄됐다.