This is the last in a three-part series about fine dust that is increasingly becoming a serious threat to Korea's environment. ― ED.
By Kim Se-jeong
Korea’s air quality has long been under China’s influence. “Samguk yusa,” a collection of legends and historical accounts from the three-kingdom period believed to have been compiled in the late 13th century, reported about yellow dust coming from China.
Unlike yellow dust, fine dust particulates are a more recent problem and originate from factories and buildings that burn coal.
China is blamed for up to 50 percent of the fine dust on average floating in the air over the Korean Peninsula, according to the government. In winter, when Chinese households burn coal to keep warm, the figure reaches up to 80 percent.
The Korean government’s policy against pollution, however, lacks a measure against the dust that originates from China, because there is almost nothing it can do about it.
Some argue that Seoul should make a strong complaint with China, but many are skeptical if that will help.
“Asking the Chinese to stop driving cars or shutdown coal powered plants? No way. We can’t tell another country what to do. It’s an issue of sovereignty,” Jeon Kwon-ho from the Ministry of Environment said.
Lee Seh-geol from the Korean Federation for Environment Movement agreed with Jeon, adding that China knows well about its own problems.
“China is acting aggressively to fight air pollution,” Lee said, adding that Korea should be patient, while doing what it can do within its own borders.
He said that long-term, open communication with China is important, which is almost the only option Korea has.
Scholars from the two nations began a joint project last year, measuring air pollution near Beijing. They met earlier this month in Seoul, sharing the results of the study showing that coal was the main source of pollution near the Chinese capital.
The governments of the two countries also began a dialogue, in addition to an annual trilateral environment ministers’ summit, which involves the Japanese. An official from Korea’s environment ministry is stationed at the Korean Embassy in Beijing facilitating communication between the two.
While China used to be and is still one of the world’s biggest air polluters, the country has been and is active in solving the problem, experts say.
In 2013, the Chinese government pledged to spend $255 billion in the next five years to tackle air pollution, aiming to reduce particulate matter 10 concentrations (PM10) by 10 percent by 2017, compared to the level in 2012.
Some argue that the Korean government should not blame China as a source of fine dust but make its own efforts to improve its own air quality.
Prof. Kim Dong-sool from Kyung Hee University criticized the government for doing nothing. “China is doing a lot. What is the Korean government doing? Nothing. It should do what it can do first before cooperating with China.”
The Korean government was expected to release its first comprehensive anti-air pollution measures by the end of May but postponed it to early June because of contrasting opinions between related ministries.