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Seoul to reactivate cold wave advisory on overnight forecast of minus 9 degrees Celsius

Published: 28 Jan. 2026, 19:21 Updated: 28 Jan. 2026, 21:13

People wearing coats walk through the Gwanghwamun intersection in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 28. [NEWS1]

Seoul will reactivate its cold wave emergency response at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, a mere two days after it was lifted, the city announced earlier in the day.

The city said it will operate cold wave support centers and begin working with district offices and related agencies to better protect residents as temperatures are projected to fall to minus 9 degrees Celsius (16 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, according to the forecast from the Korean Meteorological Association.

The cold wave advisory, which had remained in effect for a week starting Jan. 19, was lifted at 10 a.m. on Monday but will be reissued from 9 p.m. on Wednesday for the northeastern, northwestern and southwestern areas of Seoul.

A cold wave advisory is issued when the morning low is expected to remain at minus 12 degrees Celsius (10.4 Fahrenheit) or lower for at least two consecutive days or the morning low is expected to drop by more than 10 degrees Celsius from the previous day to 3 degrees Celsius or lower.

City officials will launch a 24-hour emergency system in coordination with 21 district offices. The cold wave support center includes units dedicated to overall management, daily assistance, energy restoration, medical support and emergency services.

Officials will make calls to check on elderly residents and deliver boxed meals and side dishes to low-income older adults. Outreach teams are stepping up patrols in areas with large homeless populations and distributing cold weather gear.

Twenty district offices will operate as emergency shelters throughout the advisory period. Gangbuk District in northern Seoul, which is currently operating out of a temporary facility while a new office is built, is the only district not participating.

From Wednesday through Saturday, the city also issued a “freeze risk” alert to prepare for potential damage to water meters and pipes.

Residents can report signs of freezing — such as swelling or cracks in water meter displays — to the 120 Dasan Call Center, their local waterworks office or the Arisu Cyber Customer Center for a prompt response, the city said.

As of Tuesday, Seoul had recorded 1,476 cases of frozen water meters, down 47 percent from the recent three-year average of 2,801. Officials credited "public awareness campaigns and early response measures" for the decline.

“With the return of freezing temperatures, we will maintain a full emergency response system to protect at-risk groups, and step up on-site patrols,” said Han Byung-yong, head of Seoul's Disaster and Safety Office. “We ask residents to limit time outdoors, dress warmly when going out and look after older neighbors and others who may need help.”

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 JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]