As fine dust levels skyrocketed, the Seoul metropolitan area was given the first "emergency reduction measure" this year. As the concentration of fine dust increases, the government will take emergency measures to reduce fine dust for two consecutive days. Due to extreme fine dust, citizens refrained from outdoor activities during the weekend. Measures to reduce fine dust will be applied to the private sector starting from next month, but citizens' satisfaction with their policies has been found to be a "falling point."

■ Bad by the 15th...Restrictions on thermal power generation

The Ministry of Environment announced that the fine dust level, which was announced in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday, will continue to be affected by the emergency reduction of fine dust. Emergency reduction measures will be expanded to 10 cities and provinces including Busan, Daejeon, Sejong, South Chungcheong, North Chungcheong, Gwangju and North Jeolla Province.

This is the first time this year that an emergency reduction will be implemented in two months since November 7 last year. This is the third consecutive day to be implemented after January and March of last year. 

It has been analyzed that fine dust has increased due to high concentration as fine dust has flowed from China, air congestion has continued recently, and pollutants in Korea have been added.

The National Institute of Environmental Research predicted that the atmosphere in the Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon Province, Yeongseo, Chungcheong Province, Gwangju and North Jeolla Province would remain "very bad" and other areas would be "bad" as the atmosphere is expected to remain stagnant on July 14. The cold wind is expected to bring down temperatures and fine dust to the south.

If emergency reduction measures are announced, public facilities in the metropolitan area should reduce or adjust operation hours and prevent fine dust such as operation of spray vehicles at construction sites. Power output is limited to 80 percent at thermal power plants in Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong Province.

As the day was a holiday, 토토추천the government and public agencies did not impose a two-shift system and restrictions on the operation of old diesel cars with 2.5 tons or more. On the weekday, the two-car system will be enforced, and diesel vehicles registered in the Seoul metropolitan area will be restricted from operating 2.5 tons or more before 2005, and a fine of 100,000 won will be imposed for violation. The special law on fine dust reduction and management will be enforced on March 15, and the restrictions on cars with five grade emissions, mostly old diesel cars, will be expanded across the metropolitan area.

■ 'limited' holiday season with fine dust

Except for police officers who are guarding the facilities, few tourists or citizens were seen taking walks. The skating rink at Seoul City Hall's Plaza was also in a slump as it suspended operations due to fine dust. Citizens spent their time in the summer with indoor facilities such as department stores and movie theaters. "I really want to emigrate on a fine day," said Park (48), who visited the movie theater with her husband.

Some worry that if the private sector is subject to fine dust control, citizens will complain more. This is because people are not happy with the government's measures.

According to a recent report by the Korea Institute for Public Administration and Public Administration, the level of satisfaction with government policies regarding fine dust was 32.4 points last year. On the other hand, it scored 83.3 points on the severity of the fine dust problem. We take the matter seriously, but we are very unhappy with the government's policy to solve it.