[Weather] Seoul’s air quality ‘unhealthy’

Thursday’s weather will be warmer than the average temperature for this time of the year, with daytime temperatures expected to make their way up from 4 to 12 degrees Celsius.

However, fine dust levels remain high across the country, with Seoul activating its free public transportation program again Thursday, following Monday and Wednesday. 

As of 9 a.m., the real-time air quality index site (www.aqicn.org) showed the air quality index in Seoul at 157 for PM 2.5 particles -- a level it categorizes as “unhealthy.”

In Incheon, Suwon, Cheonan, Daegu and Jeolla provinces, the level of ultra-fine pollutants recorded 170, 152, 157, 162 and 172 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively.

The National Institute of Environmental Research said Thursday’s air quality is expected to remain bad in most parts of the country and could worsen.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)