Jeolla Region and Sejong 'Heavy Snow'... Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures본부 Level 1 Activated

Up to 30 cm of Snow Expected in Inland Areas

As heavy snowfall of around 3 cm per hour is forecasted mainly in the Jeolla region and Sejong City, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has activated Level 1 operations.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that with the issuance of a heavy snow warning for the Jeolla region and Sejong City, Level 1 of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters was activated as of 7:30 a.m. on the 4th, and the heavy snow crisis alert level was raised from 'Interest' to 'Caution.' The heavy snow crisis alert is divided into four levels: Interest, Caution, Warning, and Severe.

Managers are clearing the snow piled up at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, from this day until the 6th, inland areas including the Jeolla region are expected to receive up to 30 cm or more of snow, with 3 to 20 cm forecasted. Chungnam, Daejeon, and Sejong are expected to receive 3 to 10 cm, while Ulleungdo and Dokdo are forecasted to have 10 to 40 cm of snowfall.

As of 5 a.m. on the day, entry to 174 trails across 10 national parks has been restricted. Passenger ships on 51 routes, including Mokpo to Gageodo, totaling 61 vessels, have also been grounded. In the Seoul metropolitan area including Seoul and Gyeonggi, temperatures have dropped below minus 10 degrees Celsius, prompting a cold wave warning.

Ko Gi-dong, Acting Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, urged for strengthened safety measures to prevent secondary damage in areas affected by heavy snow during the Lunar New Year holiday, ensuring no damage occurs due to the snowfall.

He also ordered enhanced monitoring to prevent casualties caused by the collapse of snow-vulnerable facilities, restricting access and swiftly evacuating residents if there is a risk. Local governments and road management authorities were requested to mobilize all available resources to carry out snow removal operations.

Acting Minister Ko said, "As heavy snow continues following last Lunar New Year holiday, we will do our best to ensure there are no gaps in our response," and added, "We ask all citizens to avoid approaching vulnerable facilities at risk of collapse due to heavy snow and to refrain from excessive snow removal work, paying close attention to personal safety."