Winter wallop grounds Jeju flights, closes national parks

Social Affairs

Published: 23 Jan. 2024, 16:50 Updated: 23 Jan. 2024, 17:46

Winter wallop grounds Jeju flights, closes national parks

A snowplow clears the snow that fell on Jeju International Airport's runway on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Hundreds of flights were canceled in Korea on Tuesday as an arctic cold wave gripped the nation, stranding thousands of travelers on Jeju.

According to the Korea Airports Corporation, 291 flights — 137 outbound and 154 inbound — of some 450 flights flying in and out of Jeju International Airport were canceled as of 11 a.m. the same day.

On Tuesday morning, the airport issued a heavy snow watch, strong wind, and wind shear advisory. Through Wednesday night, 20 to 40 centimeters (8 to 16 inches) of snow will pile up in mountainous areas on Jeju Island.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters advised local governments to conduct comprehensive snow removal as heavy snow is expected to pound along the west coast.

Stranded travelers crowd Jeju International Airport on Tuesday morning as flights were canceled due to heavy snow and gusts in the area. [NEWS1]

Around 1 to 3 centimeters of snow per hour fell on the west coast of South Chungcheong, Jeolla and Jeju as of 3 p.m. Tuesday.

As much as 13 centimeters of snow accumulated in South Jeolla overnight on Tuesday, causing multiple injuries.

A woman in her 60s was sent to a hospital after slipping on road ice at around 2:20 a.m. in Buk District of Gwangju. A heavy snow watch has been issued in Gwangju from 4 a.m. Tuesday.

Hallasan National Park in Jeju and Mudeungsan National Park in Gwangju were closed to visitors.

In the Jeolla region, around 5 to 15 centimeters of snow will accumulate in the southwestern and northwestern regions, with some areas receiving over 20 centimeters of snowfall through Wednesday.

A cold wave advisory was issued for the capital at 9 p.m. Sunday, as morning lows in Seoul were expected to drop by over 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) for over two consecutive days.

According to the city government, nearly 40,000 residents in need, including people without homes and older adults living alone, will receive help from the local government, including temporary residences and phone calls.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said heavy snow will continue on the west coast of South Chungcheong, Jeolla and Jeju through Wednesday, advising the public to beware of the cold and black ice.

Bundled-up passersby walk in the streets of Jongno District, downtown Seoul, as morning lows in the capital dipped to as low as minus 14 degrees Celsius (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday morning. [NEWS1]

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety raised its four-tier heavy snow crisis alert by one notch from the lowest “interest” to “caution” a day earlier. According to the KMA, the nation’s average morning low will drop to as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius, with midday highs of just minus 2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

The cold snap is anticipated to continue through the week, with morning lows hovering around minus 15 degrees Celsius and midday highs of around minus 1 degree Celsius on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said it plans to go through the safety rules imposed on outdoor worksites this week to minimize the impact of the treacherous cold temperatures.

The ministry will guide businesses in adjusting their work times or suspending them during frigid hours. Over the past five years, 43 people have suffered cold-related illnesses working outside, including at construction sites.

The bitter cold snap arriving on the peninsula from the north will likely dissipate from Friday afternoon.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]