Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Friday that South Korea's request that China cooperate in addressing the fine dust situation is also necessary for Beijing.

During the first meeting of a special committee on tackling fine dust held at the Government Complex in Seoul, Lee also said that it's already been proven that a large portion of fine dust originates from China.

He said the Chinese people suffer even more from fine dust particles and reiterated Seoul's call for China's responsible cooperation on the issue.

The prime minister also urged the Korean public to take part in reducing fine dust.

He cited measures such as cutting back on outdated diesel vehicles and adjusting operation hours at construction sites. He asked for patience in bearing the burdens and inconveniences for the sake of everyone's future.

Lee said the government regards fine dust pollution as tantamount to a disaster and has promised to reduce emissions by more than 35 percent by the year 2022.

He said this goal needs to be achieved and it would be better if the reduction rate is larger.