Flights, shipping delayed as South Korea struggles in grip of extreme low temperatures

Jan. 9 (UPI) -- South Korea was experiencing the coldest day of the winter so far Thursday with temperatures ranging from 14 degrees Fahrenheit down to minus 4 degrees.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the coldest temperatures will be in some of the mountainous areas of Gangwon Province.

A cold wave advisory was issued in most parts of South Korea, with strong winds driving windchill temperatures of just below 2 F.

The capital of Seoul was expecting 13 F early Thursday morning.

"Many parts of the country recorded their lowest temperatures of this winter," said KMA officials Kim Young-joon in a press briefing Thursday. "Temperatures dipping below minus 20 C (-4 F) were seen in some mountainous regions of Gangwon Province. In North Jeolla Province and North Gyeongsang Province, temperatures ranging between minus 15 C (5 F) and minus 10 C (14 F) were also witnessed."

The frigid weather is expected to peak Friday, while snow is expected in the South Chungcheong and Jeolla Provinces in addition to mountainous parts of Jeju Island.

Heavy snow warnings were in effect across the South Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces and mountainous regions on Jeju Island.

So far this winter, between Dec. 1 and Jan. 6, 138 people were sent to emergency rooms nationwide with cold-related illness, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

The cold snap has disrupted dozens of flights and ships were postponed or canceled due to snow.

KMA's advice was for people to stay indoors and take precautions to avoid home water pipes from freezing.