<Anchor>
Air quality has been rapidly deteriorating since yesterday (5th) as fine dust from China stagnates even in the air.
Busan and Ulsan took the first fine dust emergency reduction measures this year, and preliminary emergency reduction measures were also issued in the metropolitan area.
This is reporter Kwon Ran.
<Reporter> As of
4:00 p.m., the concentration of ultrafine dust exceeded 80 micrograms per cubic meter in Incheon and 100 micrograms in Jeonbuk, Gwangju, and Chungnam.
This is 4-5 times higher than usual.
Ultrafine dust warnings have been issued in most areas of the country except for Seoul, Gangwon, and Jeju.
Emergency measures to reduce high concentrations of fine dust are being implemented in Busan and Ulsan from 6 am today.
When emergency reduction measures are issued, the operation of Class 5 vehicles will be restricted, and a fine of KRW 100,000 will be imposed if caught.
In the metropolitan area, it is expected that the dust concentration will rise to the standard of emergency reduction measures tomorrow, so we issued preliminary emergency reduction measures and took a preemptive response.
We adjust the operating hours and operation rates of public workplaces such as waste incinerators, and take measures to suppress flying dust at construction sites.
It is expected that rain or snow will fall across the country tonight, but it is expected that it will not be enough to wash away the fine dust.
Tomorrow, even yellow dust originating from northern China and the Gobi Desert is likely to affect Korea, so air quality is expected to deteriorate further.
The National Institute of Environmental Research predicted that the concentration of fine dust throughout the weekend would be high across the country, and that fine dust would continue in the metropolitan area until next Tuesday.