SmogRank / Episodes / South Korea
South Korea and Japan, 27 May to 3 June 2025
For 8 days, from 27 May to 3 June 2025, 103 cities in South Korea and Japan had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Seonghwan, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea: 48.2 µg/m³ on 2 June, about 2.4× its usual 19.8.
Day by day
How it spread
Every city it reached
| City | Days | Highest | Above usual |
|---|---|---|---|
| OkcheonNorth Chungcheong, South Korea | 6 | 39.62 June | 3.1× |
| AnseongGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 40.32 June | 3.0× |
| JungpyongNorth Chungcheong, South Korea | 5 | 44.12 June | 2.9× |
| Cheongju-siNorth Chungcheong, South Korea | 5 | 39.92 June | 2.9× |
| HwadoGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 42.128 May | 2.7× |
| WabuGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 38.02 June | 2.7× |
| KinzanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 6 | 36.62 June | 2.7× |
| BoryeongChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 5 | 35.52 June | 2.7× |
| DaejeonDaejeon, South Korea | 5 | 35.12 June | 2.7× |
| HaenamJeollanam-do, South Korea | 3 | 32.728 May | 2.7× |
| NangenJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 5 | 32.02 June | 2.7× |
| Icheon-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 45.128 May | 2.6× |
| Ansan-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 5 | 42.527 May | 2.6× |
| OsanGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 42.12 June | 2.6× |
| Ganghwa-gunIncheon, South Korea | 3 | 39.927 May | 2.6× |
| MunsanGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 34.027 May | 2.6× |
| YangjuGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 32.227 May | 2.6× |
| KwangyangJeollanam-do, South Korea | 2 | 32.028 May | 2.6× |
| YeongamJeollanam-do, South Korea | 5 | 29.029 May | 2.6× |
| SeogwipoJeju-do, South Korea | 1 | 27.428 May | 2.6× |
| TamanaKumamoto, Japan | 1 | 25.51 June | 2.6× |
| PubalGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 2 | 44.128 May | 2.5× |
| Hwaseong-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 41.627 May | 2.5× |
| WŏnjuGangwon-do, South Korea | 2 | 41.12 June | 2.5× |
| AsanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 5 | 40.12 June | 2.5× |
| Bucheon-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 5 | 39.528 May | 2.5× |
| GumiGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea | 3 | 36.928 May | 2.5× |
| SejongSejong-si, South Korea | 2 | 36.81 June | 2.5× |
| Anyang-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 5 | 36.228 May | 2.5× |
| GwangyangJeollanam-do, South Korea | 1 | 31.41 June | 2.5× |
| MungyeongGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea | 2 | 31.02 June | 2.5× |
| GyeongjuGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea | 1 | 29.22 June | 2.5× |
| KuryeJeollanam-do, South Korea | 1 | 27.128 May | 2.5× |
| SeonghwanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 3 | 48.22 June | 2.4× |
| PyeongtaekGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 40.91 June | 2.4× |
| Goyang-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 40.727 May | 2.4× |
| GunsanJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 2 | 39.71 June | 2.4× |
| BuanJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 2 | 38.82 June | 2.4× |
| CheonanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 3 | 37.22 June | 2.4× |
| Chinch'ŏnNorth Chungcheong, South Korea | 4 | 36.32 June | 2.4× |
| ChungjuNorth Chungcheong, South Korea | 2 | 34.52 June | 2.4× |
| Seongnam-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 32.42 June | 2.4× |
| GoseongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 1 | 31.82 June | 2.4× |
| GongjuChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 2 | 31.62 June | 2.4× |
| SeosanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 3 | 30.231 May | 2.4× |
| ChangsuJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 4 | 30.028 May | 2.4× |
| JangseongJeollanam-do, South Korea | 4 | 28.031 May | 2.4× |
| Gimpo-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 2 | 41.327 May | 2.3× |
| SeoulSeoul, South Korea | 4 | 39.51 June | 2.3× |
| IncheonIncheon, South Korea | 2 | 38.627 May | 2.3× |
| GwangmyeongGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 5 | 38.41 June | 2.3× |
| Guri-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 37.828 May | 2.3× |
| UlsanUlsan, South Korea | 1 | 37.42 June | 2.3× |
| YeonggwangJeollanam-do, South Korea | 2 | 34.62 June | 2.3× |
| GwangjuGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 33.22 June | 2.3× |
| YeonilGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea | 1 | 32.82 June | 2.3× |
| HwawŏnDaegu, South Korea | 2 | 31.828 May | 2.3× |
| YeongdongNorth Chungcheong, South Korea | 3 | 30.92 June | 2.3× |
| TongyeongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 2 | 30.62 June | 2.3× |
| SantyokuGangwon-do, South Korea | 2 | 30.52 June | 2.3× |
| HadongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 2 | 29.21 June | 2.3× |
| SuncheonJeollanam-do, South Korea | 2 | 28.428 May | 2.3× |
| BoseongJeollanam-do, South Korea | 2 | 26.528 May | 2.3× |
| YeosuJeollanam-do, South Korea | 1 | 26.51 June | 2.3× |
| MokpoJeollanam-do, South Korea | 2 | 26.329 May | 2.3× |
| Cheongsong gunGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea | 1 | 25.92 June | 2.3× |
| BeolgyoJeollanam-do, South Korea | 1 | 25.528 May | 2.3× |
| MuanJeollanam-do, South Korea | 1 | 25.51 June | 2.3× |
| IksanJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 3 | 43.41 June | 2.2× |
| TangjinChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 3 | 40.731 May | 2.2× |
| YesanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 2 | 38.82 June | 2.2× |
| JeongeupJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 3 | 37.62 June | 2.2× |
| YŏnmuChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 2 | 36.51 June | 2.2× |
| SuwonGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 4 | 34.22 June | 2.2× |
| Uijeongbu-siGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 33.52 June | 2.2× |
| DamyangJeollanam-do, South Korea | 2 | 32.431 May | 2.2× |
| Yangp'yŏngGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 2 | 32.328 May | 2.2× |
| NonsanChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 3 | 32.22 June | 2.2× |
| MasanGwangju, South Korea | 2 | 31.82 June | 2.2× |
| NajuJeollanam-do, South Korea | 6 | 31.51 June | 2.2× |
| BusanBusan, South Korea | 1 | 31.32 June | 2.2× |
| NamyangjuGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 30.827 May | 2.2× |
| DaeguDaegu, South Korea | 2 | 30.328 May | 2.2× |
| ChangnyeongGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 1 | 30.22 June | 2.2× |
| Gyeongsan-siGyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea | 1 | 29.828 May | 2.2× |
| KimhaeGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 1 | 29.32 June | 2.2× |
| ImsilJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 3 | 28.51 June | 2.2× |
| GapyeongGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 1 | 28.528 May | 2.2× |
| GwangjuGwangju, South Korea | 4 | 27.81 June | 2.2× |
| WanjuJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 2 | 35.21 June | 2.1× |
| KoesanNorth Chungcheong, South Korea | 1 | 34.02 June | 2.1× |
| HongseongChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 2 | 33.331 May | 2.1× |
| NamsaJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 3 | 33.11 June | 2.1× |
| HanamGyeonggi-do, South Korea | 3 | 32.728 May | 2.1× |
| Koch'angJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 3 | 30.21 June | 2.1× |
| JeonjuJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 2 | 28.530 May | 2.1× |
| JangheungJeollanam-do, South Korea | 2 | 27.529 May | 2.1× |
| BuyeoChungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 1 | 27.52 June | 2.1× |
| UngsangGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 1 | 27.02 June | 2.1× |
| GijangBusan, South Korea | 1 | 26.62 June | 2.1× |
| Jinan-gunJeollabuk-do, South Korea | 3 | 26.527 May | 2.1× |
| Jeju CityJeju-do, South Korea | 1 | 26.028 May | 2.1× |
| MiryangGyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 1 | 32.92 June | 2.0× |
Daily means in µg/m³, over the days each city counted in this episode. Highest: its highest of those days. Usual: the city's median for the time of year of that day (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that, with a usual under 5 µg/m³ taken as 5.
Against other episodes in South Korea and Japan
Number 19 of 94 episodes in South Korea and Japan since our records began, by cities reached.
- Japan and South Korea, June and July 2025508
- Japan and South Korea, April 2024499
- Japan and South Korea, March 2025454
- Japan and South Korea, March 2026305
- Japan and South Korea, January 2025274
- Japan and South Korea, February and March 2025192
- Japan, 21 to 25 July 2026172
- South Korea and Japan, January 2026169
- South Korea and Japan, 10 to 15 February 2026147
- South Korea, 14 to 16 February 2025132
- Japan, November 2023131
- South Korea and Japan, November 2025128
- South Korea and Japan, 27 May to 3 June 2025103
Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 94.
Use this page
SmogRank, South Korea and Japan, 27 May to 3 June 2025: 103 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 27 May to 3 June 2025, smogrank.com/episodes/2025-05-27-south-korea-and-japan (accessed 4 October 2026).
You're welcome to reuse a single chart, image or figure with this citation and a link. Terms.
An episode is a run of days when many cities close to each other (four or more within 350 km on a day, 8 or more in all) each had a daily PM2.5 mean of at least 25 µg/m³ and at least 2 times their usual for that time of year. Found in our own measurements, not picked by hand. How we find episodes. Values are each city's daily mean of its own monitors; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.