초미세먼지 지역 취약성 평가를 위한 지수 개발과 군집 기반 취약지역 유형화 연구

Abstract

This study develops a PM 2.5 Vulnerability-Resilience Index (VRI) and a cluster-based typology to support place-based air-quality and health policy in Korea. Using 2022 data, we compiled 15 indicators for 229 regions in Korea, covering sensitivity, climate exposure, and adaptive capacity, which together define vulnerability. Indicators were then min-max scaled (0-1) and combined via entropy weights to derive domain indices. These domain indices were again combined to create VRI. The calculated VRI was mapped in quintiles and analyzed using K-means clustering to identify areas with high vulnerability. Finally, the index was validated using age-standardized mortality from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Our results show that regions with lower VRI systematically exhibit higher sensitivity and exposure alongside weaker adaptive capacity; the highest-risk quintile concentrates around heavy-industry and coal-fired power plant locales. K-means revealed three profiles PM 2.5 high exposure type, potentially dangerous, and high-density vulnerable groups. The VRI correlates negatively with mortality (Spearman’s ρ =-0.344, p<0.001) . The proposed index and typology translate multidimensional vulnerability into actionable evidence for differentiated mitigation, healthcare capacity building, and continuous monitoring.