Korea, China and Japan agreed Monday to launch a regular tripartite policy dialogue to tackle air pollution including harmful particulate matters smaller than 10 micrometers and 2.5 micrometers.

At the close of the two-day ministerial meeting in Kitakyushu, Japan, they adopted a joint communiqu pledging to build a network for sharing information on environmental policies and prepare a sustainable governance system for dust and sandstorm.

They also called for an early launch of the green climate fund, a global fund for climate change, and promised to give support for the success of the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, in 2014.

“The three nations should seek cooperation in finding sustainable policies for the environment and solving environmental issues regardless of their political tensions,” said Environment Minister Yoon Seong-kyu after the bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Nobuteru Ishihara.

On Sunday, Yoon met with Chinese Environmental Protection Vice Minister Li Ganjie, who participated in place of Minister Zhou Shengxian.

Yoon proposed to China developing and operating an air quality monitoring system to share real-time data on pollutants such as the fine pollutants and ozone, according to the Ministry of Environment.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)