Heavy Snow Advisory in Mountain Areas of Gangwon and Gyeongbuk... Road Closures and Park Exploration Restrictions

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] A heavy snow warning was issued on the 15th for the northeastern mountainous areas of Gangwon and Gyeongbuk, as well as parts of Chungbuk and Gyeonggi, with heavy snowfall expected to cause damage. Since the 14th, Gangwon-do has seen snowfall exceeding 50 cm in some areas, leading to road closures and restrictions on access to national park trails.

The Gangwon-do Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has been restricting traffic since the morning of the 15th on roads including the old Misiryeong Road connecting Inje and Goseong, Yeongwol County Road No. 15, Rural Roads No. 102 and 302, and Wonju County Roads No. 8 and 11, due to the snow that began on the 14th.

Detours are also in place on three roads leading to Seoraksan: Mokujae Road, Malgogae in Chuncheon Sabuk-myeon, Baehuryung, and Semitgogae.

Access to 22 trails in Taebaeksan, 17 in Seoraksan, 12 in Chiaksan, and 4 in Odaesan National Parks has also been restricted.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Snow-related traffic accidents have occurred repeatedly. Around 9 a.m. on the 15th, several accidents, both major and minor, took place near Manjong Junction on the Yeongdong Expressway heading toward Incheon, near Okgae Rest Area on the Donghae Expressway toward Sokcho, and on the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway heading toward Yangyang.

In the Gangwon region, an additional 10 to 30 cm of snow is expected in mountainous areas by the 16th, with some places possibly receiving over 40 cm, raising concerns about further damage.

Earlier, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety activated Emergency Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) from noon on the same day and raised the crisis alert level from 'Interest' to 'Caution.'

Lee Sang-min, head of the CDSCH, urged strengthening publicity on snow removal for roofs of prefabricated temporary housing, old buildings, and vinyl greenhouses, and actively considering evacuation for residents in facilities vulnerable to snow accumulation.

He also emphasized thorough snow removal on major roads such as expressways and national highways, focusing on snow removal work in vulnerable areas prone to icing during early morning hours, including boundary and connecting roads, tunnel entrances and exits, bridges, and ramp sections.

Lee instructed the National Police Agency to actively support manpower and equipment for road control and vehicle detour guidance.

Additionally, he requested thorough follow-up snow removal on side roads and sidewalks after snowfall, as well as ensuring snow removal at bus stops, subway stations, and daycare centers.