SmogRank / Episodes / South Korea
South Korea, July 2025
For 3 days, from 23 to 25 July 2025, 25 cities in South Korea had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea: 37.6 µg/m³ on 25 July, about 3.4× its usual 11.2.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 25 in 1 country
Days 3 23 to 25 July 2025
Worst day 24 July 13 cities counted
Furthest above usual 3.4× Daegu
Day by day
Play 24 July 13 cities at twice their usual or more
Yeongdong Gimcheon Sangju Okcheon Kinzan Gumi Mungyeong Daejeon Waegwan Cheongju-si Koesan Jinan-gun Jungpyong Kunwi Changsu Yecheon Sejong Chungju Chinch'ŏn Yŏnmu Gongju Nonsan Wanju Jeonju Imsil Andong Namsa Yeongju Cheonan Nangen Iksan Buyeo Anseong Chinju Seonghwan Eisen Asan Kurye Yeoju Neietsu Wŏnju Pubal Yesan Icheon-si Cheongsong gun Osan Damyang Hongseong Goseong Boryeong Yangp'yŏng Gwangju Gyeongju Kimhae Suwon Yangsan Koch'ang Yeonil Tangjin Seongnam-si Jangseong Gwangju Tongyeong Hwasun Pohang Beolgyo Hongch’ŏn Hanam Ungsang Sinhyeon Masan Anyang-si Wabu Ansan-si Hwado Seosan Namyangju Guri-si Geoje Gijang Gwangmyeong Taesal-li Seoul Gapyeong Chuncheon Naju Bucheon-si Incheon Uijeongbu-si Santyoku Goyang-si Donghae City Gangneung Yangju Gimpo-si Yeongam Muan Yanggu Hwacheon Jumunjin Munsan Mokpo Haenam Cheorwon Sokcho Kosong Sinan Tsushima Iki Munakata Koga Nakama Nagato Kitakyushu Shimonoseki Mine Kanda Hagi Onoda Ube Yamaguchi Masuda Hōfu Hamada Shūnan Gōtsuchō Kudamatsu Hikari Ōdachō-ōda Ōtake Yanai Iwakuni Yae Hiroshima Gion Izumo Kure Unnan Miyoshi Higashihiroshima Takehara Matsuyama Hayang Ganghwa-gun Naesŏ Changwon Ulsan Jeongeup Hwaseong-si Pyeongtaek Busan Hadong Yeonggwang Gwangyang Miryang Kimje Changnyeong Buan Jangheung Kwangyang Boseong Yeosu Suncheon Hwawŏn Gyeongsan-si Gunsan Daegu 20 Jul 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Every measured city in the area, coloured by its PM2.5 that day; a dark ring marks a city at twice its usual or more. Bars: cities counted each day, coloured by their median level. Choose a day or press play; without JavaScript, the days link to that day's world ranking.
How it spread
Miryang Miryang, 20 July: 7.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Miryang, 21 July: 8.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Miryang, 22 July: 13.2 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Miryang, 23 July: 28.8 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Miryang, 24 July: 25.9 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Miryang, 25 July: 11.1 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Miryang, 26 July: 4.4 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Miryang, 27 July: 4.8 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Miryang, 28 July: 6.6 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Ulsan Ulsan, 20 July: 11.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Ulsan, 21 July: 10.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Ulsan, 22 July: 16.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Ulsan, 23 July: 28.6 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Ulsan, 24 July: 18.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Ulsan, 25 July: 11.1 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Ulsan, 26 July: 10.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Ulsan, 27 July: 9.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Ulsan, 28 July: 10.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Changnyeong Changnyeong, 20 July: 9.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Changnyeong, 21 July: 9.7 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Changnyeong, 22 July: 15.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Changnyeong, 23 July: 28.1 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Changnyeong, 24 July: 32.3 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Changnyeong, 25 July: 10.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Changnyeong, 26 July: 5.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Changnyeong, 27 July: 4.9 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Changnyeong, 28 July: 5.7 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Busan Busan, 20 July: 10.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Busan, 21 July: 8.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Busan, 22 July: 13.4 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Busan, 23 July: 26.3 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Busan, 24 July: 12.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Busan, 25 July: 5.8 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Busan, 26 July: 5.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Busan, 27 July: 4.4 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Busan, 28 July: 6.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Changwon Changwon, 20 July: 9.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Changwon, 21 July: 8.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Changwon, 22 July: 13.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Changwon, 23 July: 25.4 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Changwon, 24 July: 19.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Changwon, 25 July: 7.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Changwon, 26 July: 5.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Changwon, 27 July: 4.5 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Changwon, 28 July: 8.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Naesŏ Naesŏ, 20 July: 10.1 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Naesŏ, 21 July: 7.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Naesŏ, 22 July: 15.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Naesŏ, 23 July: 25.0 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Naesŏ, 24 July: 20.3 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Naesŏ, 25 July: 8.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Naesŏ, 26 July: 5.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Naesŏ, 27 July: 5.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Naesŏ, 28 July: 7.4 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Hwawŏn Hwawŏn, 20 July: 9.1 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Hwawŏn, 21 July: 8.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Hwawŏn, 22 July: 12.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Hwawŏn, 23 July: 20.8 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Hwawŏn, 24 July: 30.5 µg/m³, 3.2× usual Hwawŏn, 25 July: 14.0 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Hwawŏn, 26 July: 7.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Hwawŏn, 27 July: 8.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Hwawŏn, 28 July: 10.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Daegu Daegu, 20 July: 8.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Daegu, 21 July: 8.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Daegu, 22 July: 12.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Daegu, 23 July: 21.1 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Daegu, 24 July: 27.8 µg/m³, 3.4× usual Daegu, 25 July: 9.8 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Daegu, 26 July: 5.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Daegu, 27 July: 4.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Daegu, 28 July: 7.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Hayang Hayang, 20 July: 11.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Hayang, 21 July: 11.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Hayang, 22 July: 14.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Hayang, 23 July: 25.9 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Hayang, 24 July: 27.8 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Hayang, 25 July: 14.1 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Hayang, 26 July: 11.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Hayang, 27 July: 9.2 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Hayang, 28 July: 11.2 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Kwangyang Kwangyang, 20 July: 9.4 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Kwangyang, 21 July: 5.3 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Kwangyang, 22 July: 8.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Kwangyang, 23 July: 19.8 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Kwangyang, 24 July: 27.2 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Kwangyang, 25 July: 10.9 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Kwangyang, 26 July: 5.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Kwangyang, 27 July: 4.9 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Kwangyang, 28 July: 8.8 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Gwangyang Gwangyang, 20 July: 9.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Gwangyang, 21 July: 7.4 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Gwangyang, 22 July: 9.1 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Gwangyang, 23 July: 21.8 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Gwangyang, 24 July: 27.2 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Gwangyang, 25 July: 9.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Gwangyang, 26 July: 5.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Gwangyang, 27 July: 5.0 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Gwangyang, 28 July: 8.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Gyeongsan-si Gyeongsan-si, 20 July: 7.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Gyeongsan-si, 21 July: 5.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Gyeongsan-si, 22 July: 10.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Gyeongsan-si, 23 July: 22.7 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Gyeongsan-si, 24 July: 27.0 µg/m³, 3.2× usual Gyeongsan-si, 25 July: 8.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Gyeongsan-si, 26 July: 5.3 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Gyeongsan-si, 27 July: 2.9 µg/m³, 0.3× usual Gyeongsan-si, 28 July: 5.7 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Hadong Hadong, 20 July: 7.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Hadong, 21 July: 6.8 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Hadong, 22 July: 10.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Hadong, 23 July: 22.1 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Hadong, 24 July: 27.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Hadong, 25 July: 10.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Hadong, 26 July: 5.1 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Hadong, 27 July: 4.0 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Hadong, 28 July: 7.5 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Boseong Boseong, 20 July: 7.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Boseong, 21 July: 4.8 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Boseong, 22 July: 7.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Boseong, 23 July: 12.8 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Boseong, 24 July: 26.9 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Boseong, 25 July: 17.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Boseong, 26 July: 7.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Boseong, 27 July: 6.5 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Boseong, 28 July: 7.4 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Jangheung Jangheung, 20 July: 9.9 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Jangheung, 21 July: 5.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Jangheung, 22 July: 9.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Jangheung, 23 July: 15.2 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Jangheung, 24 July: 26.7 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Jangheung, 25 July: 20.4 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Jangheung, 26 July: 8.9 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Jangheung, 27 July: 6.7 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Jangheung, 28 July: 10.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Suncheon Suncheon, 20 July: 9.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Suncheon, 21 July: 5.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Suncheon, 22 July: 7.1 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Suncheon, 23 July: 16.0 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Suncheon, 24 July: 26.4 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Suncheon, 25 July: 11.9 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Suncheon, 26 July: 4.4 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Suncheon, 27 July: 3.5 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Suncheon, 28 July: 7.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Yeosu Yeosu, 20 July: 9.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Yeosu, 21 July: 6.5 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Yeosu, 22 July: 8.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Yeosu, 23 July: 17.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Yeosu, 24 July: 25.6 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Yeosu, 25 July: 9.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Yeosu, 26 July: 6.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Yeosu, 27 July: 5.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Yeosu, 28 July: 7.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Gunsan Gunsan, 20 July: 10.3 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Gunsan, 21 July: 7.2 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Gunsan, 22 July: 5.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Gunsan, 23 July: 9.9 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Gunsan, 24 July: 20.7 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Gunsan, 25 July: 37.6 µg/m³, 3.4× usual Gunsan, 26 July: 24.7 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Gunsan, 27 July: 8.9 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Gunsan, 28 July: 16.3 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Buan Buan, 20 July: 10.3 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Buan, 21 July: 8.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Buan, 22 July: 6.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Buan, 23 July: 12.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Buan, 24 July: 21.0 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Buan, 25 July: 33.4 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Buan, 26 July: 20.0 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Buan, 27 July: 9.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Buan, 28 July: 16.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Jeongeup Jeongeup, 20 July: 11.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Jeongeup, 21 July: 8.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Jeongeup, 22 July: 8.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Jeongeup, 23 July: 12.8 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Jeongeup, 24 July: 23.3 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Jeongeup, 25 July: 31.8 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Jeongeup, 26 July: 13.8 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Jeongeup, 27 July: 7.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Jeongeup, 28 July: 15.1 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Kimje Kimje, 20 July: 11.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Kimje, 21 July: 7.5 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Kimje, 22 July: 7.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Kimje, 23 July: 14.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Kimje, 24 July: 22.1 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Kimje, 25 July: 30.6 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Kimje, 26 July: 14.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Kimje, 27 July: 9.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Kimje, 28 July: 16.5 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Pyeongtaek Pyeongtaek, 20 July: 8.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Pyeongtaek, 21 July: 10.1 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Pyeongtaek, 22 July: 8.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Pyeongtaek, 23 July: 14.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Pyeongtaek, 24 July: 17.9 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Pyeongtaek, 25 July: 27.2 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Pyeongtaek, 26 July: 14.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Pyeongtaek, 27 July: 12.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Pyeongtaek, 28 July: 25.0 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Yeonggwang Yeonggwang, 20 July: 9.3 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Yeonggwang, 21 July: 7.0 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Yeonggwang, 22 July: 7.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Yeonggwang, 23 July: 11.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Yeonggwang, 24 July: 18.5 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Yeonggwang, 25 July: 26.8 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Yeonggwang, 26 July: 15.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Yeonggwang, 27 July: 8.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Yeonggwang, 28 July: 12.8 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Ganghwa-gun Ganghwa-gun, 20 July: 9.9 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Ganghwa-gun, 21 July: 14.0 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Ganghwa-gun, 22 July: 7.9 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Ganghwa-gun, 23 July: 7.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Ganghwa-gun, 24 July: 13.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Ganghwa-gun, 25 July: 25.9 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Ganghwa-gun, 26 July: 32.1 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Ganghwa-gun, 27 July: 27.7 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Ganghwa-gun, 28 July: 36.2 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Hwaseong-si Hwaseong-si, 20 July: 7.8 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Hwaseong-si, 21 July: 9.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Hwaseong-si, 22 July: 7.1 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Hwaseong-si, 23 July: 10.5 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Hwaseong-si, 24 July: 13.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Hwaseong-si, 25 July: 25.2 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Hwaseong-si, 26 July: 21.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Hwaseong-si, 27 July: 15.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Hwaseong-si, 28 July: 23.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual 20 Jul 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Every counted city, in the order the episode reached them, 3 days before to 3 after. Each square is a day, coloured by that day's PM2.5; outlined: at twice the city's usual or more. Good 0–50
Moderate 51–100
Sensitive groups 101–150
Unhealthy 151–200
Very unhealthy 201–300
Hazardous 301+
Every city it reached
City Days Highest Usual Above usual
Daegu Daegu, South Korea 1 24 July 8.2 3.4× Gunsan Jeollabuk-do, South Korea 1 25 July 11.2 3.4× Hwawŏn Daegu, South Korea 1 24 July 9.4 3.2× Gyeongsan-si Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea 1 24 July 8.5 3.2× Yeosu Jeollanam-do, South Korea 1 24 July 8.2 3.1× Suncheon Jeollanam-do, South Korea 1 24 July 8.6 3.1× Boseong Jeollanam-do, South Korea 1 24 July 8.9 3.0× Ganghwa-gun Incheon, South Korea 1 28 July 12.2 3.0× Kwangyang Jeollanam-do, South Korea 1 24 July 9.3 2.9× Jangheung Jeollanam-do, South Korea 1 24 July 9.2 2.9× Buan Jeollabuk-do, South Korea 1 25 July 11.6 2.9× Changnyeong Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 2 24 July 11.6 2.8× Kimje Jeollabuk-do, South Korea 1 25 July 11.0 2.8× Gwangyang Jeollanam-do, South Korea 1 24 July 10.0 2.7× Miryang Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 2 23 July 10.6 2.7× Yeonggwang Jeollanam-do, South Korea 1 25 July 10.3 2.6× Hadong Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 1 24 July 10.8 2.5× Busan Busan, South Korea 1 23 July 10.8 2.4× Pyeongtaek Gyeonggi-do, South Korea 1 25 July 11.2 2.4× Jeongeup Jeollabuk-do, South Korea 1 25 July 13.4 2.4× Hwaseong-si Gyeonggi-do, South Korea 1 25 July 10.7 2.4× Changwon Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 1 23 July 10.9 2.3× Naesŏ Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea 1 23 July 11.0 2.3× Ulsan Ulsan, South Korea 1 23 July 12.6 2.3× Hayang Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea 1 24 July 13.7 2.0×
Daily means in µg/m³. Usual: the city's median for this time of year (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that.
Against other episodes in South Korea
Number 31 of 43 episodes in South Korea since our records began, by cities reached.
Japan and South Korea, March 2025 454 Japan and South Korea, March 2026 305 Japan and South Korea, January 2025 274 Japan and South Korea, February and March 2025 192 South Korea and Japan, January 2026 169 South Korea and Japan, February 2026 147 South Korea, February 2025 132 South Korea, November 2025 128 South Korea, February 2026 121 South Korea, December 2025 113 South Korea, January 2025 113 South Korea, December 2025 107 South Korea, July 2025 25 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading. All 43 .
Use this page SmogRank, South Korea, July 2025: 25 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 23 to 25 July 2025, smogrank.com/episodes/2025-07-south-korea (accessed 2 October 2026).
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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.
