Korean Job Discussion Forums

sojourner1

I went to Seoul over the weekend for my 1st time, had a great time, and it did not seem as polluted like many posters on Daves mentioned. Seoul is often referred to as the, "Big Smoke." It smelled the same as most all other Korean cities, albiet, there are many foul odors and pollution is evident. The sky was clear on a sunny warm day and was not smoggy like LA as some foriengers have reported. I would guess that you will come in contact with more pollution anywhere a manufacturing plant or industrial park is located which are in many parts of Korea. I really like Seoul for it being the center of the arts, culture, and everything Korea, besides the fact, many Seoulites are amazingly more friendly and helpful to foreigners than I find in other parts of the country. When I made my choice on coming to Korea, I chose a place farthest away from Seoul possible in attempt to avoid pollution, believing that Seoul is horribly polluted when horrible pollution seems to be present everywhere I go in Korea.

Not to knock Korea. What is the truth about pollution in Seoul and the rest of Korea? Is the environment really much worse in Seoul than the rest of the country?

K-duide · Joined: 31 Mar 2007

ariellowen · Joined: 19 Apr 2006

I recall reading a few months back, in the Korean Herald, that Seoul had the lowest rate of mortality due to respiratory illness in the country; i.e. the best air; the reason being, that the factories outside the capital produce a lot of the worst air pollution.

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

I was in Seoul on Sunday and it was blue skies and spring weather. usually when i go there the sky looks like the underside of a mushroom. I wouldn't judge it by one day. los angeles has decent air sometimes too. Millions and millions of cars are not good for your breathing health.

I'm 40-50 kilometers south of Seoul and it's much less poluted here, though still not great. Going south another 20 kilometers is a whole different world.

cangel · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: Jeonju, S. Korea

I live in Jeonju and was in Seoul last weekend and IMHO, Seoul is much more polluted than other cities. I constantly was blowing out snot rockets and doing other necessary house maintenance.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

I found that Seoul has the worst air pollution, but the state of the cities are almost all identical. In some ways, Seoul seemed cleaner than small cities, since the smaller cities had a lot more garbage spread around the streets, etc.

jdog2050 · Joined: 17 Dec 2006

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

You guys who've praised Seoul's sunday weather weren't looking very hard, I'm afraid. The sky above was blue with a bit of gray, but you didn't have to look much further in all directions until it became entirely gray. And that was after a day of rain!

Mind you, I've said previously that complaints about Seoul's pollution are exaggerated and most of the complainers are absolute wimps. However, the visible air pollution in Seoul seems worse than when I first came (possibly because I no longer wear rose-tinted glasses). Exceptionally, wonderfully clear days in Seoul aren't terribly common, unfortunately, and one of the main reasons is the weather. When the wind comes, it wipes away all that muck. But it's very rarely windy.

When I was in Cheonan last summer - which of course is very close to Seoul although somewhat outside it - it had much bluer skies and appeared totally different.

VanIslander · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 3:48 am Post subject:

Waaay worse in Seoul than the countryside towns near the southernmost coast, that's for sure!

dmbfan · Joined: 09 Mar 2006

Most polluted city I have EVER been in is Urumqi, China.

nasty.............

little mixed girl · Joined: 11 Jun 2003 Location: shin hyesung's bed~

yeah, seoul is pretty polluted.
check your nose, see that black stuff that came out when you stuck the tissue up there? that's pollution.

i've only had that happen in seoul...

trubadour · Joined: 03 Nov 2006

Mixed girl has never been to London..that's good (in that way) for her I suppose..

The pollution is bad in Seoul because much industry is located nearby, the concentration of traffic, because it is low-lying ground (a valley, even a flood plain of the mighty Han), due to its proximity to China, and like the rest of us (China included), being in-line for those south-easterly winds which blow on through the gobi!

Most days, on entering Seoul you enter the smog, too.

Maybe it's lack of good oxygen that makes people more outgoing, intelligent, diverse and successful!?