Korean Job Discussion Forums

[RufusW]

Which areas / districts of Seoul have the best air quality?

I really want to work in Seoul but according to my doctor I should try to avoid bad pollution etc... Is Itaewon clean because it's the other side of a mountain? Is air quality usually better (good) during the winter?

Thanks for any ideas....

[ttompatz]

[dharma bum]

Agreed. Bundang seems to be a bit better if you can stand to be slightly outside of Seoul. Other than that, I don't think there're too many clean areas around.

[icicle]

I live in Dobong gu (Northern Seoul) and it does have better air quality than much of the city ...I thought it wasn't too bad at all ... and the other foreign teacher in my school said a couple of months ago that he wished he lived there rather than just taught there because it was much clearer than where he lived in the Gangnam area.

I think there are definitely areas which are better than others .... And hopefully people who live in them can give you some possible options ...

[funkywinkerbeans]

North eastern Seoul has to have the worst pollution in the summer. The winds blow the pollution up against the mountains and it's trapped. I used to live a 20 minute walk from the mountains, and there were days I couldn't see the mountains because of the pollution. It wasn't because of clouds but rather smog. After a rainy day, you could see the mountains crisp and clear.

Bundang and Ilsan have cleaner air.

[mithridates]

http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/

[Justin Hale]

Where I lived in northwest Seoul always had amongst the worst air quality in the city whenever I checked the site that Mithridates just posted.

In summer, there's a lot of rain, but from October to April there's hardly any precipitation at all and it all builds up to a thick ocean of brown smog as to be hideous. Sometimes the wintery wind will spread it all and make it nice and clear.

[ytuque]

[Lekker]

[icicle]

I just looked at the air quality site which the previous poster has posted. And it was nice to get confirmation that where I am living in Dobong gu does have among the best air quality among the areas of Seoul. If it is important to you ... You can compare all areas in Seoul and in Gyeonggi do and indeed most parts of Korea.

To answer the Itaewon question ... It is part of Yongsan gu and seems to sit around the middle in terms of Air quality comparing different areas of Seoul in some indicators and near the top in others ... So at least on those indicators is not really good in terms of pollution levels.

[maddog]

I did a summer camp up in Ssangmum. From what I remember, the air quality was pretty good.

[RufusW]

Does anyone here actually have their health affected badly by the smog, or is okay as long as you don't go jogging etc...? Also, anyone use a facemask?

Thanks for the replies so far, maybe I should head to the coast and Busan.

[weatherman]

isn't that bad!

[Hyeon Een]