Heavy Snow Warning Issued, Crisis Alert Raised from 'Interest' to 'Caution'

Places with Heavy Snowfall Have More Than 20cm

On the 21st, when a heavy snow warning was issued for Seoul and the central region, passenger cars that had been abandoned in operation were lined up covered with snow within an apartment complex in Seoul city./Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

On the 16th, as a heavy snow warning was issued mainly for the central and western regions nationwide, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters activated Level 1 at 10 a.m. and raised the heavy snow crisis alert level from 'Interest' to 'Caution.'

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted that the expected snowfall on the 16th and 17th would exceed 20 cm in Jeonbuk, more than 15 cm in Gwangju and western Jeonnam, and over 10 cm in Sejong and inland northern Chungnam. Additionally, snow accumulation is expected in central and western areas such as Seoul, Incheon, and Jeju with 1?3 cm, southwestern Gyeonggi with 2?7 cm, and Daejeon, Chungnam, and inland Gangwon with 3?8 cm.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters urged strengthening snow removal operations in freezing-vulnerable areas such as bridges and tunnel entrances and exits to prevent roads from icing due to the snowfall. They also requested thorough snow removal on side roads and alleys around residential areas.

In the warning areas, they emphasized enhancing snow removal publicity for snow-vulnerable structures such as vinyl greenhouses and livestock barns, and asked for active promotion of traffic conditions and control information through disaster text messages and subtitle broadcasts, as well as encouraging reduced speed driving on slippery and icy roads.

Minister of the Interior and Safety, Sang-min Lee, stated, "Related agencies should thoroughly carry out pre-application of deicing agents and follow-up snow removal operations to prevent damage to the public caused by heavy snow and cold waves in the central and western regions." He also urged, "Citizens are requested to drive safely by reducing speed and maintaining distance between vehicles as roads become slippery when it snows."