Snow Storm In South Korea Forced Dozens Of Flights Postponed

JAKARTA - Heavy snow and freezing temperatures hit the entire South on Saturday 18 December. It even stopped dozens of flights and prompted authorities to issue weather warnings.

The Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued a heavy early morning snow warning for Incheon, Daejeon, Gwangju, Sejong, South Chungcheong Province, South Jeolla Province, North Jeolla Province, and mountainous areas on Jeju Island, quoted from Yonhap News.

The interior ministry also raised the disaster alert level to "be careful", the third highest in a four-tier system.

The weather agency issued a heavy snow warning on Saturday for Incheon, Daejeon, and much western part of the country.

KMA estimates that 5 to 15 centimeters of snow will fall in the western part of South Chungcheong and North Jeolla on Saturday. Jeju Island and coastal areas of North and South Jeolla provinces are expected to receive more than 20 cm of snow.

Incheon, southern part of Gyeonggi Province and North Chungcheong Province will see 1-5 cm of snow, and Seoul and the northern part of Gyeonggi Province will reach 1 cm, KMA said.

The country was also hit by cold waves with temperatures in the morning recorded minus 8.4 C in Seoul, minus 7 C in Incheon, minus 6 C in Daejeon, and zero C in Busan.

The daily high is expected to range between minus 5 C and 5 C.