On the first day of the new semester, on the 4th, damage occurred nationwide due to heavy snowfall, including facility collapses, traffic accidents on snowy roads, and disruptions to school attendance.
Around 6:30 p.m. on the same day, an accident occurred at the Chuncheon tollgate on the Central Expressway heading towards Chuncheon in Dongnae-myeon, Chuncheon, where a high-pass steel structure (canopy sandwich panel) fell onto lanes 1 and 2.
There were no injuries or vehicle damage from this accident, but two out of four lanes were closed for accident recovery, causing severe traffic congestion during rush hour.
Police and road authorities completed safety measures and resumed traffic around 8 p.m.
Earlier, around 12:34 p.m., a 25-ton truck skidded on a snowy road in Gohang-ri, Gohan-eup, Jeongseon, and collided with a city bus. Thirteen people, including the driver and passengers on the city bus, were trapped but were rescued by responding firefighting authorities. There were no injuries, and none were transported to the hospital.
In the regions of Taebaek, Hongcheon, and Yeongwol, greenhouses collapsed under the weight of the snow. Damage also occurred at ginseng facilities in Yeongwol.
As a result of the heavy snowfall, one road in Gangneung and two roads in Goseong are currently closed, and 72 trails in national parks within the province are also blocked. Road closures are underway in four places including Gangneung, Samcheok, and Goseong, and 28 routes including Chuncheon, Gangneung, Jeongseon, and Inje are operating on a shortened schedule.
Seven schools in Gangwon Province have delayed the start of classes, and 10 schools have adjusted their attendance times. Nationwide, including the Gangwon area, a total of 28 schools have adjusted their attendance times.
In high-altitude mountainous areas of Ulsan, snow has fallen, resulting in a heavy snow warning being issued for some regions. According to the Ulsan Police Agency, as of 2 p.m. on the same day, the snowfall recorded from Mauna Peak in Buk-gu to Yangnam near Gyeongju was 9.5 cm, leading to a complete road closure in both directions. The entrance of Baenaegol and the intersection of Seongnam Tunnel, as well as the Baenaegol train station to Sangbuk direction, are closed, while the entrance of Unmunjae and the Soho Sabja intersection have been reopened.
Meanwhile, with the heavy snow warning in effect, numerous flights and ferries were also canceled. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, 14 flights were canceled, including six from Gimpo, four from Jeju, one from Gimhae, one from Wonju, one from Yeosu, and one from Sacheon.
Due to a gale warning, 66 ferries suspended operations on 47 routes, including Mokpo to Hongdo, Yeosu to Geomun, and Pohang to Ulleung, while 291 hiking trails in 14 national parks, including Seoraksan, Sokrisan, and Taebaeksan, were closed.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, as of 10 p.m., a 'heavy snow warning' is in effect for northern, central, and southern mountainous areas of Gangwon, while a 'heavy snow advisory' is in effect for the Gangneung plains, Donghae plains, Taebaek, Samcheok plains, Sokcho plains, Goseong plains, and Yangyang plains as well as eastern northern mountainous areas of Gyeongsangbuk-do.
The heavy snow advisory that had been in effect in Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do, was lifted at 6 p.m., and the advisory for Ulleungdo and Dokdo was lifted at 9 p.m.