Worst air pollution Samch’ŏk, today and tomorrow

Today (16 July): Air quality in Samch’ŏk is very poor. AQI and O3 are very poor; NO2 is fair; PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, HCHO, and PM1 are good. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 88.4/100).
Tomorrow (17 July 2026): Air quality in Samch’ŏk is poor. AQI improves to poor; O3 decreases to poor; PM1 increases to fair; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 72.6/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.

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Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team

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Samch'ŏk's air quality reflects the South Korean Gangwon East Sea coastal position on the Osip River delta, with vehicle traffic on surrounding roads and the cement — Samcheok being Korea's cement capital — and port corridor generating elevated industrial dust PM10 and PM2.5. Consistent East Sea maritime breezes provide coastal ventilation, while the cement manufacturing operations' extraordinary scale relative to the local urban population makes Samcheok South Korea's most distinctively cement manufacturing-defined coastal urban environment throughout the year.

Today - 16 July | Pollution peaks at 13:00

AQI:

Very poor

88.4/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

15.0/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

5.4/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

30.0/100

O3 (ozone):

Very poor

88.4/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

11.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

16.5/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Good

15.4/100

Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day

Tomorrow - 17 July | Pollution peaks at 13:00

AQI:

Poor

72.6/100

PM2.5 (fine particles):

Good

18.5/100

PM10 (coarse particles):

Good

7.0/100

NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):

Fair

34.2/100

O3 (ozone):

Poor

72.6/100

SO2 (sulfur dioxide):

Good

14.3/100

CO (carbon monoxide):

Good

0.0/100

HCHO (formaldehyde):

Good

18.2/100

PM1 (ultrafine particles):

Fair

21.2/100

Frequently Asked Questions

Is air quality bad in Samch’ŏk right now?

On 16 July 2026, overall air quality in Samch’ŏk is very poor. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 88.4/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 88.4/100).

Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Samch’ŏk?

On 17 July 2026, air quality conditions in Samch’ŏk will be better than today, with AQI forecast at poor at 72.6/100. Pollution peaks around 1:00 PM (O3: 72.6/100).

When is air pollution at its worst in Samch’ŏk?

Air quality in Samch’ŏk tends to be worse when traffic on the surrounding roads, steel, cement, and chemical production, and manufacturing activity build up and dry spells bring strong winds. Dust carried on these winds adds substantially to particulate levels. Onshore breezes usually help clear the air, but pollution can build up when winds are light.

Are air quality levels in Samch’ŏk based on measurements or forecasts?

It is forecasts derived by downscaling forecasts provided by EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) by taking into account local conditions such as traffic patterns. CAMS bases its forecast on satellite measurements of particles and chemical compounds in the atmosphere. Airmine’s services were developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team.

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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 16 July 2026 at 10:33 CEST (Data is updated four times daily.)

This forecast is produced independently using Airmine's own atmospheric data and models.

Unless explicitly made clear, the content on this site has not been paid for by external organisations and is Airmine's sole responsibility.

For long term forecasts and maps, see the Airmine app