Do I Need to Wear a Face Mask in South Korea?

Walk along the street in any South Korean city and you’ll see plenty of people wearing surgical-style face masks. Covering the nose and mouth and held in place by elastic loops that reach back behind the ears, the masks are cheap and sold in almost all convenience stores and pharmacies. But what are they for, and do they really protect your health? Face masks have been common in South Korea since before air pollution became such a high-profile health concern. Many people wore them when they ha