Some Seoul asthmatics are fed up with the poor air of their environs. Led by the Seoul Air Pollution Litigation Group, the 22 plaintiffs will be looking to cash in to the tune of 30 million won per plaintiff, to be collected
from the central government and Seoul metropolitan government for “not fulfilling their responsibility to maintain clean air in Seoul” and from automobile companies such as Hyundai, Kia, and Ssangyoung for providing polluting vehicles.
This comes just as Bangkok is winning praise for its efforts to curb noxious fumes:
…while the number of motor vehicles registered in Bangkok has increased by 40 percent over the past decade, the average levels of the most dangerous types of pollution — small dust particles that embed themselves in the lungs — have been cut by 47 percent, from 81 to 43 micrograms per cubic meter during the same period. Bangkok’s air, on average, now falls within the limit set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of 50 micrograms per cubic meter, but is above the European Union limit of 40.
Those of us who live in Seoul, meanwhile, suck down an average of 61 micrograms per cubic millimeter (figures up to 2004 available from the Ministry of the Environment in pdf here), which at least marks an improvement over the “Worst in the OECD” level of 71, recorded in 2001.
How exactly the Seoul government is meant to “fulfill its responsibility” of maintaining clean air is as unclear as the air itself. The construction of parks and streams is proceeding apace, and gas prices here are already among the highest in the world (so high, in fact, that many Korean motorists have prices at various gas stations sent to their mobile phones (see video, in Korean) so they can get the cheapest rate). Perhaps Seoul could follow the Venetian example and take more concrete steps to pollution reduction.
13 Comments
Seems like it would be difficult or impossible to prove a direct correlation between the air pollution and asthma, and a good lawyer could shoot this down. Also, I’ll bet a lot of the pollution comes from China anyway.
You might as well file suit against the tides. However, in some dark office some lawyer is saying to himself, “Cha-ching!”
…assuming he’s smart enough to be doing this on retainer.
Maybe that’s why we haven’t heard from Mr. Carr today
Stranegly enough, Korea has cured my asthma.ㅋㅋㅋ
The Ministry of Environemnt approved a popularisation policy for ligh duty vehilces Natural gas vehicles (not just buses) compelling these cars to be manufactued by OEMs. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy killed it and it was down graded to just the buses. Clean energy technology is available across the board but it is regulated out of the market in Korea due to the lucrative levys on oil based fuels. GO FIGURE! A country as energy defficient as Korea! Hyundai manufactures CNG vehicles in India. Why? They were told to that’s why. Countries like Thailand, Brazil and Argentina have their acts together working hard towards reducing emissions and using the energy that lies under their feet.
This should be a wake up call for the Korean Government and automotive manufactures yet they figure they can play the system and dodge responsibility rather than take action to address this long-standing problem.
I suppose they will try to blame China rather than own up to their responsibilities or perhaps they can start importing more hybrid Japanese cars instead.
Ionic Breeze.
When I visited Canada last summer, it seemed to take only a week or so to stop hacking/clearing my throat all the time. I seem to recall this being a longer process in the late 90s. (I can remember the looks of horror on the faces of friends and family members as I explained to them that it wasn’t a cold or flu that was getting me down.) Based on this admittedly unscientific reckoning - in addition to the statistics in the article, of course - I’m inclined to believe that Seoul air pollution has improved/is improving. Either that or I’ve adapted/mutated over the last decade or so. (And, I don’t completely discount the mutation explanation!)
Unfortunately, it would seem that yellow dust is more than filling the bus/car/truck exhaust void. I think this is one of several examples of how Korea has been dealt an unenviable hand when it comes to geography.
i wonder if the pollution explains why lot of korean men spit. i don’t recall having the need to spit back in the states, but here, when i’m walking down the street, i catch myself spitting every few hours or so.
“That’s because parts of the concrete walls and grounds have been built with cement containing an active agent that, in presence of light, breaks air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, benzene, and others through a natural chemical process called photocatalysis.”
You know, a similar process was invented by a Korean scientist. I saw a story about it on TV about 5 years ago. They were doing tests, but it apparently hasn’t been implemented.
like nobongpil, i too have had a miracle. i have not had hay fever in three years in Seoul.
(note: yellow fever has hit me a few times though)
What is the price of gasoline in Korea now, I wonder - the article you linked to was from 2005….
nobongpil,
Well, the technology for zero-emission automobiles is there. GM ‘experimented with electric cars in California, but they killed the project. They blamed lack of consumer interest due to the range between charges, roughly 80miles…but that’s because they installed older batteries in the cars.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.....ric_Car%3F
Just check the Tesla Roadster, a sports car that can travel 250miles between charges.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster