Gov't enforces emergency fine dust reduction measures in Seoul

The Environment Ministry said Friday it is enforcing emergency measures to reduce fine dust in the air for Seoul and surrounding regions on Saturday, as dust pollution has seriously worsened in the area.

It is the first time the ministry has issued the "fine dust emergency reduction measures" since the system was introduced early this year. The alarm requires factories, construction sites and other dust-releasing workplaces in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province to cut operations and take steps to reduce pollution from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

As of 4 p.m., dust levels, known as "PM2.5 density," were measured at 57 micrograms per cubic meters in Seoul and Incheon and 63 micrograms per cubic meters in Gyeonggi Province. The situation is expected to be similar on Saturday, officials said. (Yonhap)