Many South Korean regions, including the Seoul metropolitan area, are reeling from high levels of fine dust on Friday, attributed to yellow dust from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. 

The Korea Environment Corporation issued fine dust warnings for Seoul and five southern Gyeonggi provincial cities, including Yongin and Pyeongtaek, as of Friday afternoon. The same warnings were issued for five western cities and counties in North Jeolla Province, including Gunsan and Jeongup.

A fine dust warning is issued when an hourly average density of fine dust particles smaller than ten micrometers in diameter, known as PM 10, is 300 micrograms per cubic meter or higher for two hours. 

The average level of fine dust in Seoul was measured at 525 micrograms per cubic meter per hour on Friday afternoon. 

As of 4:30 p.m., yellow dust warnings were also issued for the five northwestern islands in Incheon and many parts of South Chungcheong Province, including Boryeong and Seosan. 

The whole nation, in particular its western regions, is expected to remain under the influence of dense yellow dust through Saturday, or Parents' Day. 

Fine dust levels will remain “very bad” for the greater Seoul area, South Chungcheong Province, the Jeolla provinces and Jeju, while those for the rest of the regions will be “bad.”