The purpose of this study is to analyze the occurrence, effects and
damages of Northeast Asian dust and sand storm(DSS) in an integrated
way and to estimate the actual damage costs, especially focusing on the
areas of human health and amenity. After analyzing the routes and
damages of DSS, this study intends to investigate possible domestic
policy alternatives and to suggest regional cooperation strategies for
damage reduction.
As for the damage cost estimation, period and area for estimation is
2002 and all over Korea Republic, respectively. The scope of damage
costs includes medical expenses and opportunity costs of time loss and
welfare loss due to the discomfort by DSS. And the scheme to estimate
the damage costs is mainly the contingent valuation method.
According to the estimation result, damage costs of DSS amounts to
5,922 billion won in Korea in 2002. Among this, medical expenses
mainly due to premature mortality account for about 37% of this cost
and 34% is for the welfare loss due to discomfort. The total damage
costs account for 4.6 billion US$ and 0.8% of GDP in 2002.
With the growing social economic damages of DSS, several mitigating
measures of DSS damages have conducted in domestic and international
level. The most important measure is establishment and operation of
DSS monitoring, forecasting and early warning service system for public
through setting up cooperation and data sharing system between Korea
Minister of Environment(KMOE) and Korea Meterological Agency(KMA).
Prevention measures