Record-setting snowfall brings travel chaos to Seoul

(ATTN: RECASTS lead, headline; UPDATES throughout with developments; TRIMS)
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- Record-breaking snowfall pounded Seoul and neighboring
areas Monday, causing major travel chaos in and around the capital city and
triggering a mass cancellation of flights.
A total of 27.8 centimeters of snow was measured in Seoul as of 4 p.m., marking
the most precipitation the nation has seen in a single day since it began
tracking such data in 1937, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration
(KMA).
The previous record was set in January 1969, when 25.6 cm of snow fell.
"It can be said that today's snowfall in the Seoul region is the heaviest in some
100 years," an official at the KMA, the state-run weather forecast agency, said.
"The snow showers are expected to spread to other regions in the country through
early next morning."
With the unusually heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures leaving the city's main
highways icy, heavy traffic jams and several collisions were reported throughout
the day, causing distress especially to commuters on their first work day of the
new year.
Some 16,000 government officials and servicemen were mobilized to clear snow from
major roads and highways, but snow continued to fall heavily throughout the day,
making the job practically impossible.
A man in his 50s fell to his death from the roof of a badminton court in northern
Seoul while trying to clear the snow, local police said, in one of many accidents
that took place around the city.
Domestic and international flights at Gimpo Airport and Incheon International
Airport, both located in the western outskirts of Seoul, were either canceled or
delayed for several hours throughout the day.
All domestic schedules at Gimpo -- totaling 62 departures and 79 arrivals,
including two international flights to Japan -- were canceled.
Incheon International Airport was also plagued by flight cancellations and
delays. As of 1 p.m., 14 international flights from Incheon, mostly bound for
China, as well as eight flights scheduled to land there, were canceled.
Many commuters gave up on driving their own cars Monday morning, flocking to
subway and bus stations, with some even choosing to ride bicycles through the
swirling snow.
"Driving conditions were extremely hazardous," said Lee Ho-yoon, who crossed
Seoul's Han River, which separates the city's south and north regions. "It took
more than twice the time it usually takes to go to work. The cars were
practically crawling on the roads."
Although Seoul Metro increased the frequency of subway trains to meet the surge
in demand for public transportation due to heavy snow, trains on the busiest
lines, No. 1 and No. 2, suffered delays due to malfunctions, causing distress to
commuters.
Freezing temperatures and ice on the rails appeared 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 temperature plunging to minus 6.9 C, 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.
The government said it will extend operation of subways and buses in the city for
an hour through Tuesday for the convenience of locals using public
transportation.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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