Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yaya]

Geez, don't we have something to look forward to?

South Koreans are stocking up on air purifiers following a forecast of especially severe "yellow dust" storms from China and Mongolia this spring, officials said Friday.

Forecasters say the annual dust storms will be particularly bad this spring because north China and the deserts of Mongolia, where they originate, suffered the worst drought in 50 years.

The temperature there is also two to six degrees Centigrade higher than usual, adding momentum to the dust storms which usually strike South Korea and Japan between March and early May and cause health problems.

"The sales of air purifiers have gone up 30 percent since the forecast about the yellow dust storms on February 20," Sohn Min-Ok, manager of electronics retailer Himart, told AFP.

"Sales of air purifiers are expected to rise further as electronics makers are introducing new models late this month and in March to meet growing demand," she said.

Shares of companies expected to benefit from the storms, such as filter makers and eye drop manufacturers, have also surged -- bucking the overall trend.

Yellow dust -- fine sand from northern China and Mongolia's Gobi Desert -- sometimes includes industrial pollutants emitted by Chinese factories and can cause respiratory disorders.

http://www.physorg.com/print155118022.html

[akiakiaki]

thanks for the post. I'm not particularly looking forward to the next bout of yellow sand. Though I was quite amused that on google, my weather was classified as "Sand". That was a first.....

How do people with allergies/ or have asthma cope when the yellow sand gets bad?

[Yaya]

Wear a yellow sand mask if you have to go outside.

If you don't have to go outside, don't.

Brush your teeth and wash your hands frequently.

Barring all that, leave Korea until the sand goes away.

[zeldalee13]

thanks for the warning.

[bassexpander]

I saw Costco (or maybe it was E-mart) had a nice airwasher for 260,000 or so. I was tempted.

[Omkara]

When is the general window for the yellow dust season? I know it is spring, but have you a more clear set of dates?

Thanks

[refikaM]

March and April is the high season, but it can come earlier or later than those months....

[Omkara]

Thanks.

Any the folks up in Seoul get it much harder?


I'll be thankful, therefore, that I'll be getting out of here in April! Hello American Spring! (Green trees, abundant flowers, bird songs outside every window, clean air!)

[bassexpander]

Yes, we "enjoy" it in varying degrees throughout Seoul as well.

Thank-you China.

[mistermasan]

up here near dalian it is actually raining for the first time in a long time. you are welcome.

[kneezah~]

I was actually thinking of picking one up. Is $260,000 the going price... That sounds kinda steep.

[bassexpander]

For an actual airwasher 260,000 is cheap.

For an air HEPA filter, the cheapest model that's pretty good (mine's going on 3 years) is by Hanil. You can pick it up for 70,000 or so, and get replacement filters from a 3rd party online for 35,000.

[kneezah~]

You don't say? I guess my lungs are worth the $260,000. Although if I would have known they were that much I would have tried to bring mine over from Canada...

On that note... Maybe I can just convince one of my family memebers to ship it over

[bassexpander]

Won, not dollars. And yes, they're pricey here. Refills are terrible, unless you go through a 3rd party site from auction.

[Jeff's Cigarettes]