Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have steadily increased on the Korean Peninsula to reach a new high last year.
 
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Wednesday that based on analysis of greenhouse gas emissions measured on the peninsula last year, yearly CO2 levels of 404-point-eight parts per million were reported on Anmyeon Island followed by 404-point-two ppm in the mountain regions of Jeju Island.
 
Ulleung Island and the Dokdo Islets reported 403-point-one and 403-point-three ppm levels of CO2 last year.
 
In the case of Anmyeon Island, its CO2 level rose two-point-four ppm and was six-point-three ppm higher than levels monitored at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, a leading atmospheric research facility.
 
The KMA believes that higher carbon dioxide on Anmyeon is due to its close proximity to an industrial area while Mauna Loa is located in a less polluted region.
 
In particular, sulfur hexafluoride, a byproduct of semiconductor manufacturing, increased noticeably. Its level rose zero-point-four parts per trillion to nine ppt last year.