Spring in Korea has heavy fine dust and yellow dust — how should a foreigner prepare?
Now that it's spring, the sky often looks hazy and there are many days with heavy fine dust, so I'm worried about being outdoors. I don't know which app to check dust levels on or what kind of mask actually works. Beyond an air purifier, I'd like to know what I can do indoors and at what point I should cut back on going out.
1 Answer
Spring fine dust and yellow dust really do call for some prep. Check levels on the AirKorea app or in Naver/weather forecasts, which show PM10 (fine dust) and PM2.5 (ultra-fine dust); when it's Bad or worse, cut back on going out and keep windows closed. For masks, ordinary ones don't help much — use certified KF80 or KF94 health masks, which filter ultra-fine particles and are sold cheaply at any pharmacy, convenience store, or mart. Indoors, run an air purifier and only ventilate briefly when levels are Moderate, and washing your hands and face after going out and drinking plenty of water helps; if you have asthma or any respiratory condition, avoid outdoor exercise on Very Bad days.