[3중급] US sanctions bill may lead China to cut oil to NK  

The fine dust warning is issued

when an hourly average dust concentration

of more than 300 micrograms

per cubic meter (㎍/㎥)

is expected to last

for more than two hours.

The concentration of more than 150 ㎍/㎥ lasting

longer than two hours

leads to an advisory.

When these warnings or advisories are in place,

people are advised

to stay indoors

or wear protective masks

if they must venture outside.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said

dust particles are expected to remain

on the peninsula through Sunday.

Originating from the deserts

in southern Mongolia and northern China,

the dusty air flew

into the Korean Peninsula

on a strong wind

over the weekend.

As of 9 am,

Seoul’s atmospheric concentration levels

of “particulate matter-10” pollutants

reached 235 ㎍/㎥.

PM-10 refers

to airborne particles 10 micrometers

or less in diameter.

Epidemiological evidence indicates

that exposure to such pollutants causes

cardiac and respiratory problems.

A study conducted

from May 2015 to December 2016

showed last Thursday

that 55 percent of the fine dust particles

in the capital

come from abroad,

up from 49 percent

in 2011.

Saturday is the second day of a three-day weekend,

which began with Children’s Day on Friday.

With poor air conditions

apparently keeping many indoors,

major highways were relatively empty

in the morning hours,

according to the Korea Expressway Corp.

(Yonhap)