Sudden Snow Freezes Nation
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Sudden heavy snow caused chaos in Seoul and other areas of Gyeonggi Province, Friday, resulting in traffic accidents and congestion.
It started snowing early in the morning and continued late into the night in central parts of the country, which was at odds with an earlier forecast by the weather agency.
Earlier, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) predicted Thursday that there was an under 40 percent possibility for central parts of the country, including Seoul, to see snow, but this would be less than one centimeter thick.
Unprepared drivers were stuck in traffic jams with many accidents reported. Some 1,800 emergency workers were dispatched to remove snow from major roads and streets using calcium chloride and sand.
The traffic congestion resulted in people being late for work, school and tests, leaving them complaining about the inaccurate weather forecast.
Some universities delayed their admission tests due to the sudden snowfall. Seoul National, Sogang and Konkuk universities held back their essay examinations by up to 20 minutes.
The weather agency forecast Friday that the central region will have its largest amount of snowfall this winter _ up to seven centimeters _ over the weekend.
The mid-to-eastern parts of the peninsula, as well as Jeju Island, are expected to have very heavy snow with a maximum snowfall of 25 centimeters in some areas.