[News Today] Coldwave hits low-income residents, farms

[LEAD]
A powerful cold wave has gripped the entire country, freezing much of South Korea.

In Gangwon-do Province, where the cold has been the most severe, farmers are struggling to protect livestock and crops.

We take you there right now.

[REPORT]
As a cow exhales, breath turns to fog immediately.

Calves bear the cold by sticking together, warmed by each other's body temperature.

Frigid winds have also arrived in the cattle shed.

A calf just two days old is braving the cold under warm lights.

Jeon Cheol-bok / Livestock farmer
A cold floor causes diarrhea for the calves.
When we keep the panel heating on, they won't get sick, grow well.

Meanwhile, a strawberry farm is also battling the cold just before their produce is set to be shipped out.

The lowest temperature limit strawberries can grow is 8 degrees Celsius.

To maintain this condition, eight fan heaters are up and running all day.

With the cold wave forecast to continue for the time being, farmers are worried about heating bills.

Jo Hyo-myung / Chuncheon resident
Heating bills are a burden. Gangwon-do Prov. is much colder than southern regions.
It's not easy to farm in the winter.

The sudden cold snap is also taking a toll on subdivided flat units.

At least 400 briquettes are needed to last through the winter, but residents received only half that amount this year.

Hwang Hwa-ja / Chuncheon resident
I try my best to save, but you can't help it.
It's cold, so at least eight briquettes are burned a day.
I worry about using them all up.

Even if hallways are covered up with plastic wraps, gusty winds still seep through, as distress deepens for those living in these tiny cell units.

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