Cold affects planes, ships and automobiles across Korea

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Cold affects planes, ships and automobiles across Korea

Published: 14 Dec. 2022, 18:50 Updated: 14 Dec. 2022, 19:13

Commuters brave the cold in Pangyo, Gyeonggi, on Wednesday, as cold wave warnings were issued across the country. [NEWS1]

Planes and ships were grounded and cars skidded on roads as Korea felt the lowest temperatures of this winter Wednesday.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), temperature in Seoul fell to minus 10.7 degrees Celsius (12.7 degrees Fahrenheit) Wednesday morning, a low for this winter.

Other areas were colder, including Cheonwon County in Gangwon, one of the coldest areas in South Korea. Its temperature dropped to minus 13 degrees Celsius, the coldest so far.

Seoraksan Mountain, one of the highest mountains in Gangwon, was minus 24.9 degrees Celsius.

Even during the day, Seoul remained at minus 7 degrees Celsius.

The extreme cold led to delays of one flight leaving Jeju and two headed there. A flight from Gimpo International Airport to Yeosu in South Jeolla was cancelled while another from Yeosu to Jeju was also cancelled.

Strong winter winds grounded ships on the southern coasts.

Only seven out of 12 passenger ships traveling between Jeju and Namhae, South Gyeongsang, operated due to strong winds.

All 53 ferry routes in South Jeolla were grounded.

Fire departments were swamped with calls.

As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the Incheon Fire Department received 17 emergency calls, which included a complaint about roadblocks being pushed into the middle of a road by overnight winds.

Firefighters were fighting a forest fire that broke out around 5 p.m. in Samcheok, Gangwon, made worse by the winds.

Some 3,000 square meters was affected although no property damage or casualties were reported.

Some areas with heavy snowfall and frozen roads saw traffic accidents.

The middle and southern parts of the nation were covered in snow including Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces.

A person climbing up a mountain in Hanam, Gyeonggi, slipped and broke an ankle, while another person was injured in a car accident after the vehicle skidded on ice on a road in Wanju, North Jeolla.

Some local governments went into emergency mode since Tuesday night.

Gyeonggi's provincial government on Tuesday raised its emergency alert to the highest level and had over 1,600 workers on standby with snow plows and other equipment.

And the worst is yet to come.

Southern regions especially the west coasts of South Chungcheong and the Jeolla provinces can expect snow or rain Thursday.

The weather agency warned that roads could get slippery overnight as snow or rain freezes.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]