Heavy snow pounds Korea, alert issued

Heavy snow and rain are forecast to affect many parts of Korea, Monday, during the extended Lunar New Year holiday, prompting the authorities to raise the weather alert and teling people to brace for possible disruptions.

This year's Lunar New Year holiday, known as Seollal, was extended to six days, lasting until Thursday, after the government designated Monday as a temporary national holiday.

Snowfall of 10 to 20 centimeters is expected in the greater Seoul area, parts of Gyeonggi Province and southern regions of the country to continue through Wednesday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA)

In some areas, such as Gangwon's inland and mountainous regions, eastern North Jeolla Province and the southern island of Jeju, snowfall could exceed 30 centimeters, according to the KMA.

A snowfall advisory is issued when 5 centimeters or more of snow is expected within a 24-hour period.

More than 100 flights had been delayed at Jeju International Airport as of 6 p.m., with 10 of them canceled due to heavy snow and heavy wind.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety said it had activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

Acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong instructed relevant agencies to mobilize all personnel and equipment to minimize damage from the heavy snowfall and implement measures to reduce traffic congestion as millions of people head to their hometowns for one of the country's two major traditional holidays.

In response to the forecast, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has also raised its alert to the second-highest level.

A total of 9,685 workers have been mobilized, along with 1,424 snowplows and pieces of equipment, to ensure public safety and reduce disruptions. (Yonhap)