Seoul will be working with the Health and Environment Research Institute, Seoul Institute of Technology, and the Seoul Institute to establish the ‘Fine Dust Research Institute’. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will be establishing two new agencies that will specialize in addressing the fine dust problem that has been worsening in South Korea.
The Fine Dust Task Force Headquarters and Research and Policy Advisory Committee will begin operations on Monday, the city government announced.
The Task Force Headquarters will be spearheaded by Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, comprised of 11 offices of the SMG, 25 offices from district governments, and 4 other public agencies.
If Seoul, as expected, declares another round of emergency measures to tackle fine dust on Monday at 4 p.m., the headquarters will declare a ‘mobilization’ of relevant agencies to focus on reducing fine dust as well as protecting citizens.
“Fine dust is a top priority for us,” said city officials. “We are establishing the new agency to concentrate our efforts on tackling severe fine dust.”
The Research and Advisory Committee will be comprised of 21 experts who will advise the city on designing policies to fine dust.
Headed by University of Suwon Prof. Jang Young-kee, the committee will be drafting the specific details of the ‘Seasonal Counter-Fine Dust Program’ that Seoul recently proposed to the Ministry of Environment.
The program involves restricting the use of vehicles during spring and winter, when fine dust reaches its worst levels.
Seoul will also be working with the Health and Environment Research Institute, Seoul Institute of Technology, and the Seoul Institute to establish the ‘Fine Dust Research Institute’.
The institute will be charged with the task of improving the quality of air at subway stations and underground shopping arcades and conducting experiments to verify the health risk of new technologies designed to tackle fine dust.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
