Seoul and several areas in central South Korea welcomed the first snow of this winter on Wednesday (November 27th), with Seoul recording its largest November snowfall since 1907. The heavy snowfall severely impacted road traffic and air transportation. The Korea Meteorological Administration continued to issue snowfall warnings on Thursday (28th), with a blizzard warning issued for all of Seoul.
According to data from the Korean meteorological department, as of 3 p.m. on the 27th, the snow depth in Seoul reached 18 centimeters, the largest November snowfall recorded since modern meteorological observations began in 1907, surpassing the previous record of 12.4 centimeters on November 28, 1972. By 7 a.m. on the 28th, snowfall totals in many parts of South Korea continued to increase, breaking historical records for this time of year. Some areas of Seoul had already accumulated up to 40 centimeters of snow.
Due to two consecutive days of snow, numerous traffic accidents were reported in various parts of South Korea caused by slippery roads. According to Yonhap News Agency, in Wonju City, Gangwon Province, 53 vehicles were involved in a chain collision, resulting in at least 11 injuries. The Korea Central Daily reported that on a highway in Gangwon Province, five cars collided, resulting in one fatality, two serious injuries, and four minor injuries. In Gyeonggi Province, a large bus skidded off the road and struck and killed a traffic guide.
The Ministry of Interior and Safety in South Korea reported that in Gyeonggi Province, a man was killed when a garage collapsed while he was clearing snow.
Multiple subway lines in the metropolitan area experienced delays due to the snow. Incheon International Airport saw hundreds of flights canceled or delayed from the afternoon to the night of the 27th, leaving many passengers stranded at the airport.
The meteorological department forecasted that rain and snow would continue across various parts of South Korea until noon on the 28th. President Yoon Suk-yeol has instructed the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport to mobilize all available resources to prevent traffic accidents and other unfortunate incidents.