Increased Number of High Particulate Matter Pollution Events in South Korea

Dennis Kim wrote:

Residents of South Korea have experienced close to 'choking' sensations with comparatively decreased respiratory abilities due to increased levels of toxic fine particulate matter (PM) pollution over the past three years.

Particulate matter readings in Seoul (capital city of South Korea) recorded up to a daily average of 115 micrograms per cubic meter of air in 2019. For reference, the World Health Organization has set its guidelines at 25 micrograms as a daily average. Several levels of government agencies in South Korea have activated emergency measures including limiting thermal production plant operations and prohibiting use of older generation diesel fueled vehicles.

There are various theories about the key causes or sources of the increased frequency of these pollution events, but these are mainly considered speculative. Not only are the high PM events becoming an increasing nuisance and risk to public health, they may have profound and uncertain ecological impacts and may exacerbate and influence global warming effects.

Tom Okey, LEO BC Coordinator, wrote:

In a 2017 LEO post Neil Kane described poor air quality related to wildfires. The BC Air Quality Health Index rating of 49 on 3 August 2017 was one of the highest ratings ever recorded for Kamloops. The BC Air Quality scale goes from 1-3 (Low Health Risk), 4-6 (Moderate Health Risk), 7-10 (High health Risk). 10+ (Very high).

South Korea's Ministry of Environment uses a Comprehensive Air-quality Index (CAI), which is a 0-500 scale like the US-EPA 2016 standard Air Quality Index (AQI). This is not the same scale as that used in Canada, which is scaled from 1-10+. Various other countries use Air Quality Indexes that are some variation of these two scales. Wikipedia includes an overview of these various Air Quality Indexes around the world and how some of them are computed.

A Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map for Korea is part of a platform to map Real-time Air Quality globally using the US-EPA's AQI. A broader view of this real-time map (zooming out) on any given day indicates that the sources of this poor air quality are both local (within South Korea), such as various cities in some northwestern and southeastern cities, and more regionally, such as from northeastern China.

Some unsuccessful efforts have been made to seed clouds over the Yellow Sea to encourage rain that would reduce the air pollution brought to Korea from prevailing winds from China. Air quality in North Korea and Russia are not reported on this global air quality reporting platform. The solution to South Korea's Air Quality problems will require multi-lateral regional cooperation.