As heavy snow fell in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, including Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi, and in Gangwon Province, national parks were closed and flights were canceled on the 5th.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCHQ) of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, access was restricted in 131 sites across four parks, including Bukhansan, Seoraksan, Odaesan, and Chiaksan National Parks, due to heavy snow. Roads on the Bukhansan Road section were also closed from 8:38 a.m. No casualties or property damage has been reported so far.
Including 15 flights that were preemptively canceled, 18 flights were also suspended: 9 from Muan, 3 from Jeju, 2 from Gimhae, 2 from Cheongju, 1 from Gimpo, and 1 from Wonju.
With heavy snow forecasted mainly in the Seoul Metropolitan Area and Gangwon Province, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety initiated Stage 1 of the CDSCHQ as of 8 a.m., raising the heavy snow crisis alert level from 'attention' to 'caution.' A heavy snow warning has been issued for the capital and Gangwon areas.
The Korea meteorological Administration announced that the snowfall is expected to continue until the 6th, with 3 to 10 cm in Gyeonggi and Gangwon, 3 to 8 cm in Seoul, and 1 to 5 cm in Incheon. Currently, a heavy snow advisory is in effect for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon.
Lee Han-gyeong, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, held a CDSCHQ meeting to share weather outlooks and check the response status of agencies in areas where advisories, including those for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon, are in effect.
Deputy Minister Lee said, "The government will prioritize safety management through the CDSCHQ to prevent casualties and property damage from this heavy snow," and urged, "Local governments should observe facilities vulnerable to snow accumulation and take thorough safety measures such as pre-emptive evacuation of residents and control of dangerous areas depending on the snow situation."