my timesThe Korea Times
  1. South Korea
  2. Environment & Animals

Ultrafine dust density falls to lowest last year

Listen
  • Published KST
  • Updated KST
People look at the blue sky when the concentration level of ultrafine dust particles ranged from 'good' to 'normal,' Seoul, Jan. 24. Yonhap

People look at the blue sky when the concentration level of ultrafine dust particles ranged from "good" to "normal," Seoul, Jan. 24. Yonhap

The average density of ultrafine dust particles in Korea fell to the lowest level last year since 2015, when the nation began compiling such data, officials said Tuesday.

The average density of ultrafine dust particles stood at 15.6 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, down 14.3 percent from a year earlier, according the environment ministry.

Environment Minister Kim Wan-sup attributed the lowest level of hazardous small particles last year to efforts to improve air quality, as well as a decline in ultrafine dust particles flowing in from China.

"Due to an intense reduction policy targeting core emission sources, including industry, transportation and daily living, the improvements in the density of ultrafine dust particles are becoming prominent," Kim said in a statement.

Ultrafine particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter and are also known as PM 2.5. The class one carcinogen is found in dust, soot and smoke. (Yonhap)