PHOTOS Get masked: Fine dust invasion to continue throughout weekend
A police officer wears a mask while on duty in downtown Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap
By Park Si-soo
The recent rainfall washed away fine dust particles from the air, but this doesn't mean the game is over. The rain stopped, and the dust came back again.
Korea's general air quality was listed as “bad” Saturday after fine dust particles were blown to the peninsula from China's industrialized west coast. Seoul's ultrafine dust particle concentration soared to 44 micrograms per cubic meter in the morning, and while it didn't reach the level for issuing an advisory, it was higher than the 35 micrograms at which air quality is declared bad. The National Institute of Environment (NIE), therefore, advised people to wear filtering masks if they go outdoors.
The reading was higher in western regions ― Incheon, and parts of Gyeonggi Province and other provinces saw their levels surpass 50 micrograms.
“Wind is blowing from China. This will continue throughout the weekend,” an NIE official said.
China is one of the biggest sources of airborne pollutants, including ultrafine dust, that affect Korea. A study by the state-run Korea Environment Institute showed that up to 70 percent of fine dust particles and other airborne pollutants hitting the country originated in China and other Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
Seoul's air quality was listed as “bad” Saturday. / Yonhap
The air will remain dusty throughout the weekend. / Yonhap
Trucks spray water on roads in downtown Seoul, Thursday, to wash away fine dust that had settled on them. Yonhap