The 2016 Northeast Asian International Forum on Air Quality Improvement opened in Seoul on Thursday for a two-day run.
 
The event organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives’ East Asia Secretariat brought together experts from 15 cities of four Northeast Asian countries, including Beijing, Tokyo and Ulaanbaatar.
 
The forum began Thursday morning with a keynote speech by NASA scientist Barry Lefer, who is charged with the Korea United States-Air Quality(KORUS-AQ) experiment.
 
The speech was then followed by sessions on air quality control progress in Northeast Asian cities and on seeking closer cooperation for clean air in the region.
 
On Friday, a debate among some 200 participants will take place to discuss ways for the private and public sectors to cooperate in terms of improving air quality.
 
At the closing ceremony, participants will announce a declaration on raising air quality.