Bloomberg reports that the United States may base its athletes in South Korea during the Beijing Summer Olympics next year to protect them from air pollution in the Chinese capital.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge expressed concern over air pollution in China ahead of the Olympics, saying that some events such as the marathon could be postponed.

Last month, the Chinese government announced a 13-billion-dollar plan to improve air quality for the Olympic Games, along with an initiative to spend some 170 million dollars to monitor air pollution this year.