By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Korea’s four distinguishing seasons have been regarded as one of the attractions of the nation. But recent research suggests that the country is losing this charm due to global warming.
The gloomy forecast is based on research reports by weather experts who gathered in Seoul to attend the ``Workshop for Experts of Climate Change,’’ held on Wednesday and Thursday.
According to the National Institute of Meteorological Research the nation will have shorter winters and longer summers.
The winter season in Seoul, which typically begins in early December and ends early March, will be much shorter.
By 2090, it will begin from late December and end around the middle of February, 36 days shorter than the summer in 1920.
But summer will last about 20 days longer than 1920. The hot and humid season is expected to last from early May through late October.
The climate change on the peninsula will also affect the ecosystem.
Another report by Seoul National University suggests that the average temperature in the ocean will increase.
By between 2071 and 2100, the average temperature of the East Sea will increase by 4.1 degrees Celsius.
The increase will effect fish species. Subtropical fish species will slowly become rare and tropical species will be more prevalent in the East Sea.
In the past 40 years, there has been an increase in catches of subtropical fish such as squid, anchovy and mackerel and a decrease in the catches of cold current species such as pollack with the average temperature of the East Sea increasing by 0.9 degree Celsius.
It is also expected that the climate change will lead to more typhoons hitting the nation and there will be big changes in the amount of precipitation, which could result in severe flooding or drought.
Sejong University’s research shows that when the nation’s average temperature increases by 1 degree Celsius, rainfall can increase or decrease by 10 percent. It warns that the drastic increase or decrease can change ecosystems near rivers and streams.
The workshop is being held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul, with the participation of about 150 local weather experts. It is being hosted by the Korean Panel on Climate Change, a special agency co-organized by the Korea Metrological Administration and the Ministry of Environment.