South Korea - The Korea Times

People who feed stray cats face backlash from neighbors

A woman asking to be identified only by her surname Lee feeds a stray cat named Ko-jeom near one of the four official stray cat feeding stations in western Seoul's park, Dec. 22. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rinBy Lee Hae-rinAs a cold snap gripped Seoul with temperatures dropping to minus 10 degrees Celsius on Thursday afternoon, two women bundled up in layers and carried a small cart toward a corner of a park in Mapo District. As Kim Jeong-hyeon, 41, and a woman in her 50s wishing to be identified only by her surname Lee, approached a small wooden feeding station nestled among the bushes, two stray cats that heard the sound of the cart came out to greet them with grateful meows.“Hey Ko-jeom, why are you out here in this cold weather?” Lee said to one of the cats. They named a black-and-white cat with a black nose “Ko-jeom,” which in Korean literally means “nose spot,” she explained. The cat rubbed its body against Lee's legs and meowed while she kept talking to this reporter. “Do you hear him? He is a very talkative cat and has a beautiful v

Dec 25, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

People who feed stray cats face backlash from neighbors

Blizzard-like conditions tear across southern, western regions

Chunks of ice cover the Han River near Ilsan Bridge in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Days of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures have frozen roads all over the country and led to ice forming on the river. YonhapBy Ko Dong-hwanPeople shovel snow off the roof of a greenhouse in Damyang County, South Jeolla Province, Saturday. YonhapThe heavy snowfall across the country has stopped for now, as people in cities and rural areas have started clearing the ice- and snow-covered streets and sidewalks.Unexpectedly, as much as 60 cumulative centimeters of snow fell throughout the last week, weighing down virtually everything outside, and the sub-zero temperatures have prevented the snow from melting quickly. In North Jeolla Province, over 230 counts of property destruction have been reported due to snow that fell between Dec. 21 and 24. Most of the reports were concerning crushed agricultural greenhouses that couldn't withstand the weight of the snow. Others reported damage to livestock pens and building structures. Farmers also reported frozen crops. Snow covered up the agricultural produ

Dec 25, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan

Blizzard-like conditions tear across southern, western regions

Han River freezes early this year amid continued cold wave

The Han River in Gimpo is covered with ice, Dec. 25. YonhapThe Han River in Seoul was declared frozen by Korea's state weather agency for the first time this winter Sunday, as a cold snap has continued for days.The first freeze of the river was observed on the river running through the capital city more than two weeks earlier than previous years, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).The Han River in Gimpo is covered with ice, Dec. 25. YonhapAccording to the KMA, the river is officially frozen when it has thick ice in a 100-meter-long area between the Han River Bridge's second and fourth piers. The bridge links Yongsan Ward and Dongjak WardIn previous winters, the first freeze on the river was declared around Jan. 10. Last winter, the Han River never officially froze.

Dec 25, 2022

Han River freezes early this year amid continued cold wave

PHOTOS Coldest day of winter

A car is stuck in heavy snow in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, Dec. 23. YonhapWater is iced over at a rocky seashore of Busan as the temperature falls, Dec. 23. YonhapTwo cars are covered in snow in Gwangju, Dec. 23. YonhapA traveler looks at a flight chart at Jeju International Airport, Dec. 23. Most of the flights departing from and arriving on Jeju Island were canceled. YonhapPeople wearing winter coats and hats line up at a bus stop in Seoul, Dec. 23. YonhapElementary school students in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, walk to school through the accumulated snow, Dec. 23. YonhapAn express bus is overturned on Honam Expressway near Gokseong, South Jeolla Province, Dec. 23. YonhapRoe deer look for food in the middle of a snowy field on Jeju Island, Dec. 23. YonhapThe area around a water solar power array installed in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, is seen frozen, Dec. 23. Yonhap

Dec 23, 2022

Temperatures fall sharply following heavy snow

A pedestrian walks on a sidewalk covered in snow in the city of Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Dec. 22. YonhapTemperatures took a plunge across Korea on Thursday, with the morning lows dipping to minus 14 C in some inland areas, the state weather agency said.The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the freezing temperatures were accompanied by snow in the southern part of the country, including South Chungcheong Province and the Jeolla provinces, and the southern resort island of Jeju.In Seoul, morning lows plummeted to minus 9 C, sharply down from a day earlier, the KMA said.The weather agency forecast that inland areas of Gangwon Province will see the temperature drop to up to minus 14 C in the morning.Cars are covered with snow in Daejeon, Dec. 22. YonhapDaily highs are expected to reach between minus 8 C and minus 3 C, it said.On top of the frigid cold weather, snow fell in most parts of the country a day earlier, causing car accidents, road closures and flight cancellations.The KMA asked drivers in the affected areas to be cautious of slippery roads. (Yonhap)

Dec 22, 2022

Temperatures fall sharply following heavy snow

PHOTOS Snow falls in southern part of the country

Solo volunteers manage stray cat population through TNR

GettyimagesBy Lee Hae-rinSix in 10 volunteers who take care of stray cats work alone on trap-neuter-return (TNR) activities to control the stray cat population due to limited funding from the local government, according to an animal rights group. The report on stray cats released Dec. 13 by domestic animal advocacy group Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) shows that the overwhelming majority, or 95.7 percent of street cat rescuers, are not affiliated with any animal rights groups. Over 1,500 people took part in the survey conducted between April and June this year. These independent activists vary by age ― 19.3 percent were in their 20s, 24.7 percent in their 30s, 26.6 percent in their 40s and 21.3 percent in their 50s, the report said. Their primary activities include feeding cats (97.7 percent) and TNR (58.8 percent). TNR is viewed by some as a humane and effective method to manage stray cat populations. The tips of spayed or neutered cats' ears are snipped off before they're released to prevent their unnecessary recapture.According to the report, these individual cat rescuers sp

Dec 21, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Solo volunteers manage stray cat population through TNR

Snow to continue into afternoon

An officer worker builds snowmen during lunch time in Seoul, Dec. 21. YonhapSnow will continue in the wider Seoul area and central inland regions into Wednesday afternoon, the state weather agency said, forecasting up to 15 centimeters in some areas.Snow began falling earlier in the day, accompanied by strong wind, and even thunder and lightning in some regions, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.Cars move slowly on a motorway in Seoul, Dec. 21. YonhapHeavy snow advisories have been issued for the capital area, excluding southern areas of Gyeonggi Province, inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, and other inland regions.The KMA forecast between 5 and 15 centimeters of snow will fall in northern parts of Gyeonggi Province, inland areas of Gangwon Province and the southern resort island of Jeju. Between 2 and 8 cm of snow is forecast for Seoul, the western port city of Incheon and southern parts of Gyeonggi Province. Local officials remove snow from the street in Seoul, Dec. 21. YonhapThe KMA asked drivers in the affected areas to be cautious as snow may free

Dec 21, 2022

Korea's sea level rises nearly 10 centimeters over 33 years

This image, provided by the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency shows the average rise of the sea level on South Korea's coast, Dec. 19. YonhapThe sea level of Korea rose nearly 10 centimeters over the past 33 years as a result of climate change, government data showed Monday.The country's average coastal surface height grew 9.9 cm between 1989 and 2021, with the yearly average coming to 3.01 milometers, according to the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency.The East Sea saw the largest increase of 3.53 mm per year on average, followed by the Yellow Sea with 3.08 mm and the southern sea 2.55 mm per year, the data showed.The analysis was based on data collected from 21 observation posts in the country's coastal areas.According to the data from the oldest post in the southwestern city of Mokpo, the sea level rose 15.4 cm over the past 62 years, or 2.49 mm per year, the agency said. (Yonhap)

Dec 19, 2022

Korea's sea level rises nearly 10 centimeters over 33 years

PHOTOS Another big snow

A resident of Gwangju, 260 kilometers south of Seoul, walks a snow-covered street, Saturday when a heavy snow advisory was issued for the city and adjacent regions. YonhapA resident of Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, walks in the snow, Saturday morning. YonhapA man clears away snow from pavement in Incheon, Saturday. YonhapChildren in Daejeon enjoy sledding in the city where a heavy snow advisory was issued, Saturday. YonhapA family in Gwangju, 260 kilometers south of Seoul, enjoy sledding in a park after heavy snowfall Saturday. Yonhap

Dec 17, 2022

Heavy snow, freezing weather hit much of Korea

Over 10 cm of snow forecast for central regions

Government officials remove snow in the city of Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Dec. 14. Yonhap Snow fell in Seoul and central regions Thursday as the weather agency forecast some areas would receive over 10 centimeters.As of 1 p.m., about 3 cm of snow per hour was falling in western parts of the greater Seoul area, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. Accompanied by freezing temperatures, the snow began to accumulate in many parts of the capital and central regions, with 6 cm reported in the city of Dangjin, about 80 km south of Seoul.The city of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, reported 3 cm of snow, while Seoul saw 1.1 cm. Yanggu of Gangwon Province received 3.8 cm.As of early Thursday afternoon, heavy snow advisories were in place for the greater Seoul area and parts of the Gangwon, South Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang provinces. "Some parts of the country may experience over 10 cm of snow," a KMA official said.The weather agency said snow may

Dec 15, 2022

Environment & Animals