Breathing the burden: the impact of air pollution on respiratory health in South Korea

This study estimates the causal impact of ambient PM10 on respiratory health in South Korea using daily region-level data from the 2015–2018 Korea Health Panel Survey merged with meteorological records. The instrumental-variable Poisson regression model based on prevailing west winds is used to control for potential endogeneity of pollution levels. Results suggest that a 1 µg/m3 increase in PM10 leads to a 0.35% rise in outpatient visits for respiratory diseases – equivalent to approximately 635,000 additional cases annually – with stronger effects among patients with chronic conditions. By identifying short-term causal impacts rather than descriptive associations, this study underscores the urgent need for stricter air-quality management and health preparedness policies.