Korea to have its coldest Election Day in 25 years

Korea will see dropping temperatures today with people in Seoul facing temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) in the morning, marking the first time the capital city will be colder than minus five degrees Celsius on Election Day since 1987.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said Seoul’s high will reach minus four degrees Celsius today, lower than the average of 3.9 degrees Celsius, raising concerns that voter turnout will be lower than expected due to cold weather.

Paju, Gyeonggi, is expected to see minus 15 this morning. The second-largest city Busan is forecast to have much warmer weather with its high reaching five degrees with a low of minus three.

The weather forecaster expected temperatures to recover to a normal level on Friday and Saturday with the mercury ranging from minus seven to five degrees. Seoul will see its high reach three degrees on Saturday, but will face another cold spell with its high plummeting to minus six degrees Sunday.

The agency added that many areas across the nation will have either snow or rain on Friday, which will continue into Saturday in Gyeongsang areas and Jeju Island.

The South Chungcheong and Jeolla areas as well as Jeju Island will have snow between Sunday and Monday, Christmas Eve, raising expectations some of these areas will have a White Christmas.

Many regions in the country will have average temperatures Monday and Tuesday.

By Kang Jin-kyu [jkkang2@joongang.co.kr]