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Severe cold snap to continue throughout Korea as Arctic winds persist

Published: 21 Jan. 2026, 14:54

Icicles are seen frozen on the Han River bank near Yeouido, western Seoul, on Jan. 20, as a cold wave warning was issued for Seoul. [KIM JONG-HO]

A frigid Arctic wind has plunged the Korean Peninsula into a severe cold snap, expected to peak Thursday morning and persist through the weekend.

Morning lows hovered around minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) in most areas, particularly in central Korea on Wednesday. Daytime highs are forecast to range from minus 6 to 3 degrees Celsius.

The cold snap is the result of a continental anticyclone pushing frigid air south, causing temperatures to fall more than 5 degrees below seasonal averages, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

In Seoul, the morning low dropped to minus 13 degrees Celsius, with a wind chill of minus 16 degrees Celsius. A cold snap advisory has been issued for the entire Gyeonggi region.

The temperature fell to minus 20.4 degrees Celsius in Panmunjom, Paju; minus 18.8 degrees Celsius in Sinseo, Yeoncheon; minus 18.7 degrees Celsius in Pocheon 2-dong; minus 17.3 degrees Celsius in Buk-myeon, Gapyeong; and minus 16 degrees Celsius in Yangju.

Icicles are seen frozen on the Han River bank near Yeouido, western Seoul, on Jan. 20, as a cold wave warning was issued for Seoul. [KIM JONG-HO]

Heavy snowfall is also forecast along the west coast and island regions for Wednesday. Snow advisories are in effect for the western coastal areas of Jeolla and Jeju Island, with accumulations expected to reach up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) on Ulleung Island and Dokdo, and more than 25 centimeters in the mountainous areas of Jeju.

Strong winds along the coasts of South Chungcheong and Jeolla are intensifying the wind chill.

The cold will peak Thursday morning, with temperatures in Seoul expected to drop to minus 14 degrees Celsius, and the severe cold will persist through the weekend, the KMA said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO SEUNG-PYO [[email protected]]