PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

South Korea's Gangwon-do Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Gangwon-do

Gangwon-do faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.5 million across 18 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 18.7µg/m³. That's 3.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 310 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Gangwon-do met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.34 years longer.

That's 2.1M years of life stolen from 1.5 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Gangwon-do. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Wonju
1.6 years lost
2.Chuncheon
1.6 years lost
3.Hoengseong
1.4 years lost
4.Gangneung
1.3 years lost
5.Hongcheon
1.3 years lost
6.Yeongwol
1.2 years lost
7.Cheorwon
1.2 years lost
8.Yangyang
1.1 years lost
9.Sokcho
1.1 years lost
10.Goseong
1.1 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

9.5%

146K

15-25 µg/m³

90.5%

1.4M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 18 Districts in Gangwon-do

Complete air quality data for every district in Gangwon-do, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Wonju	366K	21.2	1.6 years
Chuncheon	292K	21.0	1.6 years
Gangneung	218K	18.7	1.3 years
Donghae	87K	16.3	1.1 years
Sokcho	80K	16.5	1.1 years
Hongcheon	67K	18.1	1.3 years
Samcheok	64K	15.4	1.0 years
Hoengseong	45K	19.0	1.4 years
Cheorwon	42K	17.1	1.2 years
Taebaek	41K	13.4	0.8 years
Pyeongchang	39K	14.9	1.0 years
Yeongwol	37K	17.2	1.2 years
Jeongseon	35K	13.8	0.9 years
Inje	30K	13.6	0.8 years
Yangyang	26K	16.6	1.1 years
Goseong	24K	16.4	1.1 years
Hwacheon	23K	15.9	1.1 years
Yanggu	21K	16.0	1.1 years

Showing 18 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Gangwon-do is Injurious to Health.