The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Jeoung ae) announced that South Korea had recorded an annual average concentration of ultrafine dust(PM2.5) of 18 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021. It makes the record the lowest concentration level since observation in 2015. The Ministry analyzed the data acquired from 503 air pollution monitoring networks across the country. The average concentration of ultrafine dust in seventeen regions ranged between 14 and 21 micrograms per cubic meter.  

The total number of ultrafine dust "good" days, when the PM2.5 level is below 15 micrograms, in 2021 was 183 days. It rose 20% from 153 days in 2020 and 190% from 63 days in 2015. The total number of ultrafine dust "bad" or "very bad" days, when the PM2.5 level is above 36 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2021 was 23 days. It dropped three days from 26 days in 2020 and 39 days from 62 days in 2015.  

The improved level of concentration of ultrafine dust in South Korea in 2021 seems to be caused by a combination of domestic policy, improvement of overseas conditions, and favorable weather conditions. 

<Domestic Policy>

The government has strengthened management and support for key emission sources to reduce ultrafine dust emissions even under increasing domestic activities. 

As for industrial sector emissions, the total amount of ultrafine dust emissions from 826 workplaces with chimney automatic measuring equipment in 2021 was 38,73 tons, marking falls of 5% compared to 2020. The decrease was due to the air pollutant emission-cap management. For small-scale businesses with financial hardship, the government supported installing facilities to prevent air pollution. This kind of support aimed to make the companies comply with emission standards.

As for electricity generation, South Korea had permanently shut its four oldest coal-fired power plants in 2021. With this, the total number of coal-fired power plants shut down since 2017 became ten. During the implementation of the second seasonal fine dust management system, the government imposed upper operating limits on up to forty-six coal-fired power plants.      

As for transportation, due to the early scrapping of old diesel vehicles, the number of grade 5 emission vehicles decreased by 22%, from 1.68 million units in December 2020 to 1.31 million units in December 2021. In addition, the government supplied electric cars and hydrogen cars with 257,000 units in 2021 due to the low-emission vehicle programs and expansion of charging stations.

As for the living sector, the government successfully supplied a total number of 700,000 eco-friendly boilers and installed 5641 oil vapor recovery systems in 2021. Meanwhile, over the past three years, the operation rate of domestic manufacturing reached the lowest in the second quarter of 2020, and traffic of the national highways reached the lowest in the first quarter of 2020 and has since then gradually increased.

<Overseas conditions> 

The concentration of ultrafine dust in China continued to decrease, showing the lowest annual average concentration last year. The Chinese government implemented ultrafine dust measures in fall and winter. As a result, the average concentration of ultrafine dust from January to November 2021 in 339 regions across China was 29 micrograms per cubic meter, a 6.5% decrease compared to the same period in 2020.  

<Weather conditions>

As for weather conditions, the average concentration of fine dust most significantly decreased between August and October and most considerably increased in March. Analyzing the results, the major factors for the changes in fine dust concentration are changing wind directions and occurring yellow dust. From August to October 2021, east wind occurred more frequently than during the same period in 2020. It brought clearer air to the Korean peninsula, lowering the fine dust concentration. On the other hand, in March 2021, yellow dust, frequent atmospheric congestion, and low wind speed were adversely affected. 

Kim Seung-hee, Director-General of Air Quality Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Environment, said, "Policies such as the shutdown of old coal-fired power plants, support for small-scale businesses to install preventive facilities, and reducing grade 5 old vehicles have yielded tangible achievements." He also added, "The Ministry remains strongly committed to protecting public health by taking seasonal fine dust management.

For inquiry, please contact 

- Air Quality Policy Division, Ministry of Environment 044-201-6860/6874