Up to 7cm of Snow Forecast in Seoul. City to Increase Number of Buses and Subway Trains During Rush Hour

Snow falls near Seoul Station, in Jung-gu, Seoul. Han Su-bin

On January 25, the Seoul metropolitan government announced that it would operate an emergency snow removal system after a heavy snowfall was forecast for the greater Seoul area on January 26.

On Wednesday, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecast 2-7cm of snow in Seoul and surrounding areas from the early hours to 3 p.m. Thursday. The snow forecast came after a fierce cold wave hit the nation from Tuesday to Wednesday, so the snow is expected to freeze.

The city of Seoul issued a level-2 snow removal measure from 11 p.m. Wednesday. The city plans to dispatch 9,405 people and 1,394 pieces of equipment to spray de-icers before the snowfall, and refill de-icers and equipment in snow-removal boxes in slippery alleys and slopes.

The city will also increase the number of buses and subway trains operating in all routes through Seoul during the morning and evening rush hour. The morning rush hour, set at 7-9 a.m., will be extended from 7-9:30 a.m. and the evening rush hour will also be extended from 6-8 p.m. to 6-8:30 p.m.

The Seoul metropolitan government asked citizens to join the Clear the Snow in Front of Your House and Store campaign and remove the snow in front of one’s home and store. Roads are expected to turn icy, so drivers should also keep a safe distance from other vehicles and be careful of pedestrians. Choi Jin-seok, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Safety said, “We ask citizens to use public transportation to commute and to wear sneakers with a wide outer sole or hiking boots.”