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Fat-Elvis
Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Location: Boston
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 Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:13 am Post subject: Is the pollution really that bad? |
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| I've been considering teaching in Seoul but I keep reading more and more about how gruesome the pollution is. If it's as bad as they say it is, how do people stand it? Is it bad enough to affect your health? Should it be a concern for someone with allergy problems? It's seriously like the one thing keeping me from doing this. |
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samd
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:17 am Post subject: |
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| Yes |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:46 am Post subject: |
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Go south coast.
In my 7 years down here I've noticed about two-thirds of all Chinese pollution systems pass north of here due to competing Pacific ocean systems coming up from the south, especially from May through October, and occasionally in winter.
There are websites to show you the levels of particulates (PM-10), nitrogen dioxide and other lesser-volume pollutants.
The Incheon-Seoul-Gyonggi corridor is 25,000,000 people in a small area directly downwind from 4 of the world's top 10 most polluted (Chinese) cities. Ten minutes looking at wind patterns says it all.
Anyways,... if one's health isn't great, especially if have any respiratory stress, then stay away from that part of the country. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:13 am Post subject: |
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| It very much depends on where you are and your own personal tolerance. I'm rarely affected by the pollution, but other people really suffer. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:54 am Post subject: |
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| OP, it's bad. If you have bad sinuses, maybe you should not come to Korea. It'll aggravate them. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:27 am Post subject: |
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| Not as bad as China itself but bad enough that people actually come here and go on inhalers for the first time. |
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nuthatch
Joined: 21 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:14 am Post subject: |
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I found it worse than Shanghai (all the pollution there blows over to Korea)
so it was worse in SK for me and I was out in the southern rural agricultural capital province...farmers burn fields and combined with the Chinese pollution...it was abominable...didn't matter that one was out in the mountains and rice paddies...besides constant clouds of insecticide spraying, daily...no scientific community to address and regulate the reality ...
...as I watch some of the Korean dramas I am always amazed at how hazy and polluted the atmosphere is when they show scenes of Seoul...as I took little trips through southern SK, the skies were always hazy ...though the SKoreans would insist on what a beautiful, clear day it was...they really have no idea what that is...
I have chronic allergies and their complications and I took to wearing a mask when I was out and about on certain days (when I could see it)when there were warning dots from the site below:
http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/
doesn't look too bad at the moment, except, of course, Seoul.... |
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Fat-Elvis
Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Location: Boston
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:47 am Post subject: |
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Dammit. This really sucks because otherwise I'd be seriously considering Seoul. I'm not too interested in smaller cities or more rural areas (regardless of country). I don't have respiratory problems or poor health (really good health in fact), but I have sinus and hay fever issues, and in my travels through europe there were a couple cities where I couldn't stop sneezing and had runny/stuffy nose because of the air.
I dunno......one of you said consider the south coast. Is Busan any better pollution-wise? |
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English Matt
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Fat-Elvis wrote: |
Dammit. This really sucks because otherwise I'd be seriously considering Seoul. I'm not too interested in smaller cities or more rural areas (regardless of country). I don't have respiratory problems or poor health (really good health in fact), but I have sinus and hay fever issues, and in my travels through europe there were a couple cities where I couldn't stop sneezing and had runny/stuffy nose because of the air.
I dunno......one of you said consider the south coast. Is Busan any better pollution-wise? |
My hayfever has never been as bad as it has during the past few days in Korea - I'm sneezing so much I feel like my nose is going to explode, and I could barely see the kids in my last class due to my eyes streaming. Thank goodness it's started to rain. Polluted air makes hayfever a lot worse; basically it's like a catalyst. With clean air it takes a high pollen level to effect you, however polluted air reduces the pollen level required to set off an allergic reaction.
Additionally, those who have said that it will aggravate your sinuses - I believe this holds true even for many people who never usually suffer from sinus issues. I have had recurring sinusitis over the past 6 weeks and a couple of bouts last year as well.
I have been sick 60% of the time I have been in Korea, whereas prior to coming here I would say that I got sick once or twice a year and never seriously.
One good thing that's come out of this however is that it has been impossible for me to continue smoking....so I guess there's always a silver lining. |
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