Cold wave peaks as temperatures plunge below minus 20 C in parts of country

People walk pass the Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Jan. 10. Yonhap

The season's coldest weather peaked Friday morning, with temperatures in the Gangwon and northern Gyeonggi provinces plummeting below minus 20 degrees degrees elsius, the state weather agency said.

The morning temperatures in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, and Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, plunged to minus 24.9 degrees and minus 21.1 degrees , respectively, at 7 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

In Seoul, the morning low was minus 12.2 degrees , while in Incheon it was minus 11.7 degrees, and in Daejeon minus 12.9 degrees.

The warmer southern regions also saw morning temperatures drop to around minus 10 degrees, with Gwangju recording a low of minus 10.1 degrees, Daegu minus 10.7 degrees , and Ulsan minus 11.2 degrees.

This photo shows a bus window fogged in Seoul, Jan. 10. Yonhap

The daily highs are forecast to range from minus 6 degrees to plus 4 degrees, with most regions seeing temperatures hover around zero.

The cold snap will continue through the weekend before temperatures rise to levels similar to or slightly lower than in the average year starting Sunday.

Sporadic snow is expected to fall on the southern resort island of Jeju on Friday and continue through Saturday afternoon, while the Yellow Sea coastline and western Jeolla Province will also receive some snowfall through the night. (Yonhap)