Fine dust covers most part of Yeongdeungpo district in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap



By Kim Hyun-bin



The government plans to try inducing artificial rain through cloud seeding in the West Sea later this week in an attempt to reduce fine dust that has become a major health threat here.



The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and the Ministry of Environment plan to carry out the joint experiment Friday in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and China, as a large portion of fine dust is believed to come from the mainland.



Previously, the government conducted cloud seeding in inland areas but found it had little effect in reducing dust levels. This will be the first experiment carried out at sea.



First the KMA and the ministry will select suitable sites by evaluating expected temperatures, wind direction, cloud formations and humidity.



The agency will release silver iodide and/or calcium chloride ― chemical compounds that are known to stimulate precipitation ― into appropriate cloud formations via aircraft.



The National Institute of Meteorological Research (NIMR) will then look for changes in the clouds and whether precipitation occurs; while the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) will monitor fine dust levels on land and sea before and after the experiment.



"The first experiment is scheduled for Friday, however, this date may be changed depending on weather conditions," a KMA official said.



Any changes in fine dust levels will be announced the day after the test, with a more thorough scientific analysis to be released next month.



The government plans to conduct around 15 tests this year.



It hopes the experiment will successfully reduce the level of fine dust particles, especially those originating from China. But the results of cloud seeding have been inconclusive so far.



"China and Thailand have conducted artificial rain experiments in an effort to reduce fine dust levels, but there are no officially successful cases," a KMA official said.



"If it does prove effective, we will conduct more research on using cloud seeding level," KMA Administrator Kim Jong-seok said.



The experiment follows orders from Cheong Wa Dae, after President Moon Jae-in expressed concerns about the rise in fine dust levels and called for various countermeasures during a Cabinet meeting, Tuesday.



"We have to deal with the fine dust issue by recognizing it as similar to natural disasters such as heat waves or cold spells," Moon said. "It is time for us to be creative and try something new," he said, citing inucing rain and the installation of dust collectors as examples.



He also stressed more cooperation with China to reduce fine dust and provide early warning systems.

