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| The sun rises above a bridge on the Han River in Seoul, Wednesday, amid skies blanketed by fine dust. / Yonhap |
By Kang Seung-woo
A thick blanket of fine dust has been choking the country for days, leading the people to become frustrated at the government's inaction ― or actions that do not work ― in dealing with the air pollution problem.
They complain that the administration has only sent out emergency alert text messages to warn about the high dust levels, asked people to wear protective masks and told them to refrain from outdoor activities, rather than coming up with more real and substantive measures.
On Wednesday, emergency fine dust reduction measures were put into force in Seoul and its surrounding areas for the sixth straight day ― the most days in a row since the government introduced the measures in January 2017. Fine dust has been determined to be carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization, causing lung cancer and aggravating many more chronic diseases.
"For the last few days, I have been stressed out due to high levels of dust in the air causing me to stay home. Although the government is busy sending out emergency messages, that is all it has done. If the government really took the fine dust issue seriously, it would take some specific and effective actions," a 37-year-old housewife surnamed Lee said.
Although children, with weaker respiratory systems than adults, are more vulnerable to fine dust, many schools are not equipped with air purifiers, making parents nervous.
"We have an air purifier at home but there are none at my daughter's school. She would be safer at home and I wish I could keep her home from school, but I just can't," a woman wrote on an online community of parents.
While 97 percent of kindergartens and 75 percent of elementary school classrooms nationwide are equipped with air purifiers, about 74 percent of middle and high schools are not, according to the Ministry of Education.
To meet the concerns, Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said Wednesday the government will install air-purification systems at all schools within this year.
"Kindergartens, elementary and special-education schools will have purification systems in advance within the first half of the year, and the government will draw up a revised supplementary budget to have them set up at middle and high schools within this year," she said during an inspection of an elementary school on Yeouido in Seoul.
When emergency anti-dust measures are imposed, local governments ban old diesel cars from the streets and recommend a temporary closure or reduction of class hours at daycare centers, kindergartens and schools. The government also encourages people to use public transportation instead of their own cars.
"It is questionable whether the government's counteractions against rising fine dust levels are effective. Worse, it has yet to find the root cause of the poor air quality and unveil specific ways to reduce fine dust concentrations," a 38-year-old office worker surnamed Jin said.
Growing health concerns over the choking particulate matter have flooded to the Cheong Wa Dae website. More than 500 petitions have been posted to criticize the government's inability and call for better solutions.
Many of them argue President Moon Jae-in needs to lodge a protest with the Chinese government about the matter, as a large portion of the fine dust is believed to be blown from China to the Korean Peninsula.
According to a report by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the recent fine dust pollution in the capital area was caused by pollutants generated in China. The report noted that Seoul saw a rise in fine dust concentrations about 12 to 30 hours after the generation of high-density ultrafine particles in Beijing and Shenyang.
Responding to the petitions, the President ordered pan-government countermeasures, including seeking cooperation with China against the fine dust, and using a supplementary budget if necessary. But such measures, even though they are taken, will take time to be effective, and are unable to relieve the immediate public concerns and complaints.
