South Korea has been forced to endure record-breaking levels of fine dust in recent days.
The government has pledged to take strong measures to try and mitigate the severe public health issue,... but the debate still rages about where most of the dust originates from: is it China or closer to home?
Lee Seung-jae reports.
South Korea's Baengnyeongdo Island,... an island off the coast of Incheon in the West Sea.
Located near the Northern Limit Line,... the area is rich in oceanic fauna and bird diversity,... and is considered one of the least polluted parts of South Korea.
While the island usually sees 10 to 30 micrograms of fine dust on a normal day,... starting last Friday,... levels began to skyrocket,... going from 97 to 120 micrograms ,... before eventually peaking at 159 .
Satellite images show fine dust levels soar on the Korean Peninsula when western winds blow in from China.
Not to be mistaken for clouds,... the images you are watching show toxic smog and fine dust being blown in from China's northeast.
"Most of the worst fine dust comes from outside Korea. The rapid rise of fine dust concentration levels is due to overseas factors and it seems to be smog from China."
While there's plenty South Korea can do to reduce its own emissions, researchers say it's clear the only possible way to solve the problem is to get China to take the fine dust issue much more seriously.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
