‘Fine Dust Reduction Campaign’ Launched... Making Jongno Easier to Breathe

Jongno-gu Launches 'Fine Dust Reduction Campaign' from May to March Next Year

District Mayor Kim Young-jong and officials participating in the fine dust reduction campaign

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jongno-gu (Mayor Kim Young-jong) is launching a 'Fine Dust Reduction Campaign' from May this year to March 2021, both online and offline, to create a clean air environment and build public consensus.

The offline campaign will be conducted targeting citizens passing through densely populated areas such as Gwanghwamun Square on the fourth Wednesday of every month, designated as 'Public Transportation Use Day'.

With participation from the Jongno-gu Environmental Monitoring Team and district office staff, during the regular campaign period from May to September, a total of three sessions will be held once every two months, and during the intensive campaign period (high fine dust concentration season) from October to March, a total of five sessions will be held once a month.

The online campaign will continuously post related content throughout the period using the district office website, blog, Facebook, Instagram, and other SNS platforms.

The main contents of the campaign include ▲ 10 citizen pledges for creating clear skies ▲ lifestyle rules to reduce fine dust ▲ action guidelines during high fine dust concentration ▲ early scrapping of old diesel vehicles and driving restrictions in green transportation zones ▲ replacement of eco-friendly boilers to reduce fine dust ▲ purchase of eco-friendly vehicles ▲ expansion of public transportation use.

The citizen pledges for creating clear skies include 'walking or riding a bicycle for short distances,' 'refraining from driving in green transportation zones,' 'reducing heating and cooling energy use and replacing with eco-friendly boilers,' and 'reducing disposable product use and making eco-friendly product use a habit.'

Besides this campaign, since 2010, Jongno-gu has recognized the risks posed by fine dust early on and, considering the geographical characteristics of Jongno located in the city center, has been implementing substantial policies to create a 'Breathable Jongno' and a 'Fine Dust-Free Jongno.'

Examples include fundamental measures such as 'road water cleaning,' 'building rooftop cleaning,' 'indoor air quality improvement,' and 'management of air pollution sources.' These are the results of careful consideration of parts deemed necessary and feasible for local residents to practice.

Additionally, Jongno-gu has expanded efforts to reduce emissions from the district level to the city level by proposing to Seoul City to strengthen vehicle speed limits in Jongno.

Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, "Various factors including fine dust and ultrafine dust negatively affect residents' quality of life and health. We will prioritize 'health,' the foundation of a happy life, in administration and strive to create a community where no one feels discomfort in breathing."

Jongno-gu is operating the 'Small-scale Multi-use Facility Indoor Air Quality Excellence Certification System' until May 22 to contribute to creating a safe and comfortable indoor environment.

Applicants include 29 places such as daycare centers and performance halls. Facilities will be ranked based on compliance with indoor air pollutant maintenance standards and on-site management inspections, and later awarded the district mayor’s commendation and certification marks.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.