(LEAD) Heavy snow causes traffic chaos in central South Korea

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with developed situation and quotes)
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- The heaviest snowfall of the season left the central
South Korean region under a white blanket Monday morning, holding up commuters on
their first work day of the new year and causing a mass cancelation of domestic
flights.

Heavy traffic jams and several collisions were reported from the early morning
hours in Seoul as the unusually heavy snow and low temperature left the city's
main highways icy. Several ministers were late for the new year's first cabinet
meeting presided over by President Lee Myung-bak at the presidential office Chong
Wa Dae on Monday morning.
All 42 flights going out of Gimpo Airport, including two international flights to
Tokyo and Osaka, were canceled as of 10 a.m. as the first mass cancellation of
flights since heavy snowfall hit the country in 2001. It was the first time in 9
years since the snowstorm in January 2001 that the airport canceled scheduled
takeoff of all flights.
Several international flights from Incheon International Airport, located in the
western outskirts of Seoul, were also delayed for hours due to the icy airstrip.
Snowfall in Seoul started around 5 a.m. and 19.3 centimeters of snow was measured
in the capital city as of 10 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological
Administration, which issued a heavy snow alert for Seoul and adjacent areas that
stayed put until 8:20 a.m. The weather agency later replaced the alert with a
heavier warning.
Many commuters gave up on driving their own cars, flocking to subway and bus
stations, with some even choosing to ride bicycles through the blowy weather.
"Driving conditions were extremely hazardous," said Lee Ho-yoon, who drove across
Seoul's Han River, linking the city's south and north regions, to work. "It took
more than twice the time it usually takes to work. The cars were practically
crawling on the roads."
Government officials were not exempted from the commuting chaos with many
ministers being late for the first Cabinet meeting of the year presided over by
President Lee Myung-bak. The time for the meeing was originally scheduled for 8
a.m. but, due to the snowfall, rescheduled for 8:20 a.m. But five ministers
including Unification Minister Hyun In-taek whose office is just across the
street from the presidential office were late for the meeting.
Although Seoul metro increased the frequency of trains to meet the surg in demand
for public transportation due to heavy snow, trains on the busiest No. 1 and 2
subway lines suffered delays due to malfunctions, causing distress to commuters.
Low temperature and ice on the rails appear to have caused the temporary
malfunctions, metro officials said.
"I waited for more than 15 minutes and still could not transfer to a No.2 line
subway," said office worker Kim Yoo-jung, 28.
With the temperature plunging to minus 6.9 degrees Celsius, most roads will
remain icy all day to further inconvenience commuters returning home in the
evening, weather officials said. Snow was forecast to stop around 6 p.m.
All mountain roads leading to the downtown area remained closed throughout the
morning and authorities controlled traffic on hilly roads.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it has mobilized about 3,500 civil
servants and 1,200 vehicles to spray snow-melting calcium chloride on all major
roads and highways.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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