Emergency fine dust reduction measures are being enforced in seven cities and provinces on Monday as fine dust in the regions rose to alarmingly high levels.
Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, Incheon and South Chungcheong Province will be under the measures for the second straight day. They will be in place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday for North Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces and Sejong City.
The Ministry of Environment announced the move on Sunday, issuing ultrafine dust advisories for the regions with the density of ultrafine dust particles expected to surpass an average of 50 micrograms per cubic meter on Monday.
With the advisory, grade five emissions vehicles, those that are the most pollutive according to the government's five-tier system, will be banned from operation in the affected regions.
Four coal plants in the regions will halt operations until 9 p.m., while 31 others will have to run at reduced capacity.
Businesses and facilities that emit air pollutants must adjust operations, while construction sites are required to reduce or adjust operations and take steps to curb dust emissions.