Yeontan Delivery Truck, Seoul, 1968
Yeontan (연탄), a pressed anthracite briquette, was the primary heating and cooking fuel in Seoul for decades. Although locally produced and inexpensive, it was a major source of pollution. In the ondol (온돌) heating system, the heated exhaust from the yeontan, which included carbon monoxide, passed through ducts under the floor and could kill if the covering for the floor was not completely sealed. Modern ondol floors use steam or hot water, a safer, more efficient, and more even heating system.
Yeontan Delivery Truck, Seoul, 1968
Yeontan (연탄), a pressed anthracite briquette, was the primary heating and cooking fuel in Seoul for decades. Although locally produced and inexpensive, it was a major source of pollution. In the ondol (온돌) heating system, the heated exhaust from the yeontan, which included carbon monoxide, passed through ducts under the floor and could kill if the covering for the floor was not completely sealed. Modern ondol floors use steam or hot water, a safer, more efficient, and more even heating system.