BreatheLife Member

Seoul, Republic of Korea

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Photo by junaidrao. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Seoul takes a citizen-centric approach to urban transformation, rapidly switching from a top-down industrialization drive that fed the rapid growth of an Asian Tiger economy, to bottom-up processes that are putting the city on a path favouring liveability, people and public health over vehicles.

In Seoul, citizens are at the centre of city planning. They are consulted on planning decisions and they decide on what to do with 5 per cent of the municipal budget. My government has been working closely with our residents to improve the air quality in Seoul, which reaches crisis levels several times a year. But still, Seoul is still very much a car-centered city. We need to move from a car-centred city to a pedestrian-friendly city, especially within the downtown. It's very good for the health of citizens, because they are working there on an everyday basis. We have implemented many projects to ensure that Seoul remains a liveable city as we continue to grow, but a pedestrian-friendly and bike-friendly city is the most important part of our direction.”

Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul
The Air Pollution in

Seoul , Republic of Korea

Member BreatheLife
0
5.4x
THE SAFE LEVEL PM2.5 annual exposure*

*PM 2.5 concentrations measured in micrograms of particles per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) Data: WHO Global Platform on Air Quality & Health

WHO Guideline (10)Lowest level at which premature mortality risk increases in response to long-term exposure

Interim target 1 (35)Associated with 15% higher premature mortality relative to the WHO guideline of 10 µg/m3

Interim target 2 (25)Associated with 6% lower premature mortality risk relative to Interim Target 1 (35 µg/m3)

Interim target 3 (15)Associated with 6% lower premature mortality risk relative to Interim Target 2 (25 µg/m3)

More about the data

Air Quality & Health Burden Republic of Korea

17,832 Annual Deaths from air pollution
Outdoor AIR POLLUTION

Leading Killer

Ischemic heart disease

National Air Quality

27

annual average PM 2.5

Household AIR POLLUTION

Leading Killer

Acute lower respiratory infection

Child Deaths (0-5yrs)

1

per year

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