SmogRank / Cleaner or dirtier / South Korea

South Korea: cleaner or dirtier, 2026

In South Korea, 140 cities have enough days in both years to compare 2026 so far (1 January to 6 October) with the same days of 2025: 48 got dirtier and 87 cleaner.

The 48 cities that got dirtier, biggest rise first

#	City	2025	2026	Change
1	Koch'angJeollabuk-do, South Korea	57	63	+3.2 µg/m³+26%
2	SinanJeollanam-do, South Korea	56	62	+3.2 µg/m³+27%
3	Taesal-liChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	57	63	+3.1 µg/m³+25%
4	SokchoGangwon-do, South Korea	56	62	+3.1 µg/m³+26%
5	WabuGyeonggi-do, South Korea	61	66	+3.1 µg/m³+22%
6	KimjeJeollabuk-do, South Korea	68	73	+3.0 µg/m³+17%
7	WanjuJeollabuk-do, South Korea	65	70	+2.6 µg/m³+16%
8	SinhyeonGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	60	65	+2.5 µg/m³+18%
9	BuanJeollabuk-do, South Korea	67	71	+2.2 µg/m³+12%
10	JeongeupJeollabuk-do, South Korea	66	70	+2.0 µg/m³+12%
11	HadongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	59	62	+1.8 µg/m³+14%
12	SangjuGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	65	68	+1.8 µg/m³+11%
13	MokpoJeollanam-do, South Korea	60	63	+1.7 µg/m³+12%
14	YeongamJeollanam-do, South Korea	59	62	+1.7 µg/m³+13%
15	Jinan-gunJeollabuk-do, South Korea	59	62	+1.6 µg/m³+12%
16	OkcheonNorth Chungcheong, South Korea	65	67	+1.5 µg/m³+9%
17	EisenGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	61	64	+1.3 µg/m³+9%
18	HwasunJeollanam-do, South Korea	57	59	+1.2 µg/m³+10%
19	NamsaJeollabuk-do, South Korea	64	66	+1.2 µg/m³+7%
20	JeonjuJeollabuk-do, South Korea	61	63	+1.1 µg/m³+8%
21	MasanGwangju, South Korea	63	66	+1.1 µg/m³+7%
22	GapyeongGyeonggi-do, South Korea	63	64	+1.0 µg/m³+7%
23	SeonghwanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	75	77	+0.9 µg/m³+4%
24	YesanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	69	71	+0.9 µg/m³+5%
25	HwadoGyeonggi-do, South Korea	67	69	+0.9 µg/m³+5%
26	DamyangJeollanam-do, South Korea	62	64	+0.9 µg/m³+6%
27	SuncheonJeollanam-do, South Korea	56	58	+0.9 µg/m³+8%
28	KunwiGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	58	60	+0.8 µg/m³+6%
29	KuryeJeollanam-do, South Korea	54	56	+0.8 µg/m³+7%
30	HongseongChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	68	69	+0.7 µg/m³+4%
31	WaegwanGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	65	66	+0.7 µg/m³+4%
32	GwangjuSouth Korea	61	62	+0.7 µg/m³+5%
33	MuanJeollanam-do, South Korea	58	59	+0.6 µg/m³+5%
34	JangheungJeollanam-do, South Korea	57	58	+0.6 µg/m³+5%
35	JumunjinGangwon-do, South Korea	56	57	+0.6 µg/m³+5%
36	MiryangGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	65	66	+0.6 µg/m³+4%
37	GunsanJeollabuk-do, South Korea	68	69	+0.5 µg/m³+3%
38	KoesanNorth Chungcheong, South Korea	67	68	+0.5 µg/m³+3%
39	SejongSejong-si, South Korea	68	69	+0.4 µg/m³+2%
40	BoryeongChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	65	66	+0.3 µg/m³+2%
41	YeonggwangJeollanam-do, South Korea	61	61	+0.3 µg/m³+2%
42	PyeongchangGangwon-do, South Korea	62	62	+0.3 µg/m³+2%
43	ChinjuGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	62	62	+0.3 µg/m³+2%
44	GwangmyeongGyeonggi-do, South Korea	69	70	+0.2 µg/m³+1%
45	YeojuGyeonggi-do, South Korea	70	71	+0.2 µg/m³+1%
46	AsanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	70	71	+0.2 µg/m³+1%
47	KosongGangwon-do, South Korea	53	53	+0.2 µg/m³+2%
48	Gyeongsan-siGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	63	63	+0.1 µg/m³+1%

The 87 cities that got cleaner, biggest fall first

#	City	2025	2026	Change
1	BuyeoChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	66	57	−4.5 µg/m³−26%
2	GumiGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	73	65	−3.9 µg/m³−19%
3	Yangp'yŏngGyeonggi-do, South Korea	69	63	−3.3 µg/m³−18%
4	JungpyongNorth Chungcheong, South Korea	69	64	−3.1 µg/m³−16%
5	WŏnjuGangwon-do, South Korea	72	67	−2.6 µg/m³−13%
6	KinzanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	72	67	−2.6 µg/m³−13%
7	Icheon-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	71	67	−2.3 µg/m³−12%
8	YecheonGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	66	62	−2.3 µg/m³−13%
9	GangneungGangwon-do, South Korea	60	57	−2.0 µg/m³−14%
10	YeongdongNorth Chungcheong, South Korea	67	64	−1.9 µg/m³−11%
11	SantyokuGangwon-do, South Korea	65	62	−1.8 µg/m³−11%
12	SintansinDaejeon, South Korea	67	64	−1.8 µg/m³−10%
13	MungyeongGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	63	60	−1.7 µg/m³−11%
14	Cheongsong gunGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	62	59	−1.6 µg/m³−11%
15	SuwonGyeonggi-do, South Korea	69	66	−1.6 µg/m³−9%
16	Ganghwa-gunIncheon, South Korea	71	68	−1.6 µg/m³−8%
17	Jeju CityJeju-do, South Korea	61	58	−1.5 µg/m³−10%
18	NonsanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	66	63	−1.5 µg/m³−9%
19	OsanGyeonggi-do, South Korea	70	67	−1.5 µg/m³−8%
20	UlsanSouth Korea	66	63	−1.5 µg/m³−9%
21	GoseongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	63	61	−1.4 µg/m³−9%
22	AndongGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	66	63	−1.4 µg/m³−8%
23	GijangBusan, South Korea	61	58	−1.3 µg/m³−9%
24	YangjuGyeonggi-do, South Korea	63	60	−1.3 µg/m³−8%
25	NajuJeollanam-do, South Korea	63	61	−1.3 µg/m³−8%
26	Hwaseong-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	69	66	−1.2 µg/m³−6%
27	PyeongtaekGyeonggi-do, South Korea	71	68	−1.2 µg/m³−6%
28	NaesŏGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	62	60	−1.1 µg/m³−7%
29	GwangjuGyeonggi-do, South Korea	67	65	−1.1 µg/m³−6%
30	Ansan-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	69	67	−1.1 µg/m³−6%
31	SeogwipoJeju-do, South Korea	58	56	−1.1 µg/m³−9%
32	ChuncheonGangwon-do, South Korea	61	59	−1.1 µg/m³−8%
33	DaeguSouth Korea	63	61	−1.0 µg/m³−6%
34	SeosanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	64	62	−1.0 µg/m³−6%
35	GimcheonGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	65	63	−1.0 µg/m³−6%
36	MunsanGyeonggi-do, South Korea	67	65	−1.0 µg/m³−6%
37	UngsangGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	60	58	−0.9 µg/m³−6%
38	HwawŏnDaegu, South Korea	63	61	−0.9 µg/m³−6%
39	ChangnyeongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	61	60	−0.9 µg/m³−6%
40	HaenamJeollanam-do, South Korea	64	63	−0.9 µg/m³−6%
41	Uijeongbu-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	66	65	−0.9 µg/m³−5%
42	Goyang-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	68	66	−0.9 µg/m³−5%
43	Dodong-riGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	56	55	−0.8 µg/m³−7%
44	BoseongJeollanam-do, South Korea	58	56	−0.8 µg/m³−6%
45	Cheongju-siNorth Chungcheong, South Korea	67	66	−0.8 µg/m³−5%
46	IncheonSouth Korea	71	69	−0.7 µg/m³−4%
47	JangseongJeollanam-do, South Korea	59	58	−0.7 µg/m³−5%
48	KwangyangJeollanam-do, South Korea	59	58	−0.7 µg/m³−5%
49	HayangGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	66	65	−0.7 µg/m³−4%
50	Bucheon-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	68	67	−0.7 µg/m³−4%
51	Yongsan-dongSeoul, South Korea	69	68	−0.7 µg/m³−4%
52	AnseongGyeonggi-do, South Korea	67	66	−0.6 µg/m³−3%
53	GwangyangJeollanam-do, South Korea	59	58	−0.6 µg/m³−4%
54	YangsanGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	60	59	−0.6 µg/m³−4%
55	NeietsuGangwon-do, South Korea	61	60	−0.6 µg/m³−4%
56	Hongch’ŏnGangwon-do, South Korea	63	62	−0.6 µg/m³−4%
57	PohangGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	66	65	−0.6 µg/m³−3%
58	GaigeturiJeju-do, South Korea	59	58	−0.5 µg/m³−4%
59	ChangwonGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	61	60	−0.5 µg/m³−3%
60	GongjuChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	61	61	−0.5 µg/m³−3%
61	DaejeonSouth Korea	62	61	−0.5 µg/m³−3%
62	NangenJeollabuk-do, South Korea	64	63	−0.5 µg/m³−3%
63	Gimpo-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	71	71	−0.5 µg/m³−2%
64	Anyang-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	67	66	−0.4 µg/m³−2%
65	HanamGyeonggi-do, South Korea	66	65	−0.4 µg/m³−2%
66	Guri-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	69	68	−0.4 µg/m³−2%
67	Ponggae-dongJeju-do, South Korea	57	56	−0.3 µg/m³−2%
68	YeosuJeollanam-do, South Korea	58	58	−0.3 µg/m³−2%
69	GyeongjuGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	58	58	−0.3 µg/m³−2%
70	HwacheonGangwon-do, South Korea	59	58	−0.3 µg/m³−2%
71	BusanSouth Korea	63	62	−0.3 µg/m³−2%
72	SeoulSouth Korea	69	69	−0.3 µg/m³−2%
73	YeonilGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea	63	63	−0.3 µg/m³−2%
74	GeojeGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	59	59	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
75	KimhaeGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	60	60	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
76	ImsilJeollabuk-do, South Korea	61	60	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
77	Donghae CityGangwon-do, South Korea	63	63	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
78	Seongnam-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea	64	63	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
79	ChungjuNorth Chungcheong, South Korea	67	66	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
80	Chinch'ŏnNorth Chungcheong, South Korea	67	67	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
81	PubalGyeonggi-do, South Korea	75	74	−0.2 µg/m³−1%
82	TongyeongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea	64	64	−0.1 µg/m³−1%
83	NamyangjuGyeonggi-do, South Korea	64	64	−0.1 µg/m³−1%
84	IksanJeollabuk-do, South Korea	69	69	−0.1 µg/m³−1%
85	TangjinChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	71	71	−0.1 µg/m³0%
86	YŏnmuChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	66	66	−0.1 µg/m³−1%
87	CheonanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea	67	67	−0.1 µg/m³−1%

Means in US AQI over the days a city was measured in both years, the same calendar days each year; a city needs 55% of the days paired, and at least 30. The change is in µg/m³ and per cent. How we compare.

The US EPA's Air Quality Index for PM2.5 (2024 breakpoints). Show values as: µg/m³ · US AQI · India AQI · China AQI · European AQI · UK DAQI · Canada AQHI+. About the scales

Updated 2026-10-07 12:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors, as the US AQI PM2.5 sub-index.