Seasonal PM Control Policies and Their Impacts on Air Quality and Public Health in South Korea: An Analysis of The 1st to 5th Seasonal PM Management Plans

Abstract

          South Korea has long been confronted with persistent environmental challenges, particularly the problem of fine particulate matter (PM) during the winter and spring seasons. In response, the South Korean government introduced a series of Seasonal PM Control Measures. The objectives of this study are: (1) to examine the Seasonal PM Control Measures targeting PM10 and PM2.5 (Versions 1–5), and (2) to assess their impacts on air quality and public health in South Korea.

          The findings indicate that the Seasonal PM Control Measures (Versions 1–5) were characterized by several key components. These included the regulation of emissions from industrial facilities, the reduction of operations in coal-fired power plants, restrictions on the use of grade-5 vehicles within metropolitan areas, the implementation of accountability systems for the management of agricultural residues and waste, the protection of vulnerable and sensitive populations, as well as the establishment of international cooperation between South Korea and China to address PM2.5 and PM10 pollution, particularly dust storms originating from China.

          The implementation of these measures was found to have a positive effect on air quality, as indicated by reductions in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations. Specifically, the average concentration of PM10 in February 2024 decreased to 29 µg/m³, while the concentration of PM2.5 in February and March 2024 declined to 20µg/m³. Nevertheless, despite the downward trend in particulate matter concentrations, the premature mortality rate attributable to air pollution continued to increase. Furthermore, the incidence of air pollution-related diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and lung cancer, also exhibited an upward trajectory.