Dust Concentration

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Dust concentration in Korea has soared yet again. Air quality in subway stations is a major concern for commuters. Authorities have disclosed the average dust concentration level in some 400 subway stations nationwide. Let's take a look

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Yatap Station, Bundang Line in the southern part of Gyeonggi-do Province is one of the most crowded subway stations in the nation. Many passengers can be seen wearing masks.

[Soundbite] Hwang Kyung-hee(Gyeonggi-do Prov. Resident) : "I cough more because of dust. It's as bad as outdoors. It's even worse inside the station."

The Korea Railroad Corporation, the operator of Bundang Line, has found the average fine dust concentration in the station is 117.4 micrograms, higher than the environmental standard of 100 micrograms. KBS has acquired the findings of official dust concentration measurements conducted in all subway stations in the Seoul metropolitan area by subway operators. Of the 426 surveyed stations, 20 of them have levels that exceed the environmental standard. At more than 200 stations, or half of all stations surveyed, dust concentration levels reached 80 micrograms. Stations on subway line number one have been found to have the worst air quality. The survey also revealed that less than 10 percent of subway stations in the Seoul metropolitan area were equipped with air purifiers.

[Soundbite] Rep. Park Hong-keun(National Assembly Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee) : "Because of the poor results, air purifiers or other devices for controlling air quality must be installed. Such measures require additional budget."

Measures are needed to improve air quality so that passengers using public transit as a way to reduce air pollution do not become victims of fine dust.