A report from a joint study conducted by South Korea, China and Japan was released for the first time. The researchers began studying pollutants in the air since 2000, and after nineteen years, released the first report including an analysis of recent data. Although the report is not without limitations, it is noteworthy because for the first time, China acknowledged its part in the production of fine dust affecting the Korean Peninsula. Fine dust is an issue connected to the people's right to health and basic quality of life, so we hope the latest report can provide an opportunity for the three countries to cooperate closely to reduce fine dust particles.

According to the summary report, "International Joint Research on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollutants in Northeast Asia (LTP)," released by the National Institute of Environmental Research on November 20, the annual average contribution of each country in generating micro-fine dust particles in their own country was 51% for South Korea, 91% for China and 55% for Japan. This shows that while in the case of Korea and Japan, domestic factors accounted for half the problem, most of the micro-fine dust particles in China were generated from factors in China. The air pollutants from China affected South Korea by 32% on average.

The report had its limitations. First, researchers managed to secure daily and monthly statistics on fine dust factors, but the study was based on a yearly average, rather than on figures from December-March, when fine dust concentration in the air runs high. If the study focused on the season with a high concentration of fine dust, the effect of Chinese-born factors are expected to reach 70%. The Chinese-born fine dust risk appeared to have surged recently, but this was not reflected in the report. The publication of the report was delayed a year upon China's request.

According to the Global Energy Monitor (formerly CoalSwarm), an international non-profit environmental research organization, in the next two to three years, China plans to build 464 more coal-fired power plants in its eastern region, which will directly affect the Korean Peninsula. This is six times the total number of coal-fired power plants currently in operation in Korea (78). The foreign press also reported that China eased some of its measures to reduce fine dust in order to stimulate its economy amidst the trade war with the United States.

Unless the countries work to secure bluer skies, they could seriously threaten the health of the people in neighboring countries, as well as their own people. Whenever the pollution from fine dust was severe, we turned our suspicious gaze toward China, but the Chinese government ignored the suspicions. This time, China, albeit in a limited manner, acknowledged its impact on pollution, and the nations need to take this as a new opportunity to resolve the problem. They should use the report as leverage and seek all forms of cooperation, including technical and policy cooperation, to secure the right to breathe freely. It is needless to mention that they should put in more effort than ever before to reduce the impact of pollution in their own countries.