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You can barely see the skyline in Seoul this afternoon.
A thick blanket of haze and smog is hanging over the nation,... partly from the high levels
of ultra-fine particles blowing in China and also from factories and vehicles here in Korea.
And, unfortunately, it won't be long before the air gets even worse, with the annual arrival
of yellow dust from China in the spring. Connie Lee has more. It's a hazy, smoggy Tuesday
in Seoul. Visibility levels are expected to be at a
low... of 2-point-5 kilometers or less... across the nation this week.
"I wore a mask out because I heard the fine dust particle levels are high. I can actually
feel that my throat is dry and uncomfortable."
This is, in part, from the worsening smog... in China,... where fine dust levels have been
at least nine times higher than levels recommended by the World Health Organization.
And according to environmental researchers in Korea,... factories and vehicles in the
nation are also to blame for the smog, which can cause respiratory and cardiac problems.
On Monday... the Seoul city government issued a fine dust advisory around noon... and asked
people to stay indoors. The particulate matter level of 2-point-5
was high... at 92 micrograms per cubic meter for over two hours.
The limit recommended by the Korean government is 85 micrograms per cubic meter.
And it looks like these conditions will remain until the arrival of rain forecast for Thursday
nationwide. But in the WEEKS to come,... conditions could
deteriorate, as the smog could soon be joined by the annual arrival of yellow dust come
March.
"The conditions in the Gobi Desert and in Inner Mongolia become drier in March,... so
the yellow dust could start coming in to Korea via the northwesterly winds."
The Korea Meteorological Administration says the yellow dust levels this year will be similar
to last,... but instead of conditions peaking in April, the highest levels could come a
month earlier. Connie Lee, Arirang News.