By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

Korea recorded its lowest temperatures since 2001, Wednesday, in a cold spell that is expected to continue until next week. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said it expects Seoul to record minus 14 degrees Celsius Thursday.

According to the KMA, Chulwon in Gwangwon Province, saw the lowest temperature of -26.3 degrees Celsius as morning lows in the capital fell to -13.3 degrees.

The temperature was also the lowest in Seoul since February 2006 when it recorded -14.1 degrees.

The KMA expects the cold weather will continue through the weekend and forecast that temperatures will drop further.

Morning lows in other regions also showed the worst cold snap after nine years; Jecheon, -25.8 degrees; Daegwanryeong, -22.3 degrees; Chungju -21.4 degrees; Suwon -18.6 degrees.

Busan, in the southeast, which is one of Korea's warm city, reached -6.8 degrees Celsius, while southernmost Jeju Island saw morning lows of 1.7 degrees.

"Korea saw record low temperatures as a Northwestern continental high pressure expanded causing the cold spell to move onto the peninsula," a KMA official said.

"The temperature is expected to fall to -14 degrees Celsius today in Seoul due to the radiant cooling effect caused by the recent snowfall."

The KMA advised citizens to take extra precautions against the cold and snow when outside.

In the meantime, 2,350 army troops and 1,462 policemen, district officials and residents in Seoul and other regions are still struggling to remove snow from roads.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr