The first dust storms this autumn on Tuesday reduced air quality to between "bad" and "very bad" as fine dust particles blanketed skies all day.

Air pollution alerts were issued in Seoul and most other parts of the country.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, dust from northern China and the Gobi Desert was blown east by a pressure front passing through the Korean Peninsula from Tuesday morning. It caused PM10 fine dust pollution to soar to 228 ㎍/㎥ in Seoul, 324 ㎍/㎥ in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, 330 ㎍/㎥ in North Gyeongsang Province and 322 ㎍/㎥ in South Gyeongsang Province.