Heavy Snowfall at Dawn... "Already Worried About Leaving Work on the Commute"

[Asia Economy reporters Seongpil Jo, Seoyul Hwang, Taewon Choi] Due to the snow that started falling early on the 21st, roads froze, causing considerable inconvenience for commuters. Traffic congestion occurred repeatedly across various roads in Seoul, and the subway, crowded with passengers from early morning, made the commute difficult. Citizens also walked cautiously due to the snow that had not yet melted.

Because of the snow forecast, the subway lines on major commuting routes were more crowded than usual. Around 8 a.m. at Gwanghwamun Station on Seoul Subway Line 5, Kim (35) said, "There were far more people than usual, and many were holding umbrellas, which made it difficult. It was already crowded, and the wet floor made it slippery and uncomfortable." Office worker Kwon (29) also said, "Although I wasn’t late because I took the subway, there was water inside the train and station, causing some people to slip and making it uncomfortable," adding, "I’m already dreading the commute home."

On the 21st, from early morning, citizens are walking through the streets around Gwanghwamun Intersection in Seoul, getting caught in the falling snow. Photo by Heo Younghan younghan@

On the other hand, not many citizens used buses. Even the Yeouido Transfer Center in Seoul, which connects to the entire metropolitan area, was relatively quiet, with hardly any waiting lines. Kim (51), an office worker met there, said, "I expected many people to crowd the subway, so I chose to take the bus," adding, "I left about 20 minutes earlier than usual." Kwon (24), who boarded a bus bound for Yeouido Full Gospel Church, said, "Expecting traffic congestion, I started my commute earlier than usual."

As citizens chose public transportation over driving, there were relatively fewer vehicles on the roads, but the commute was still difficult because buses moved slowly and taxis were hard to find. Jo (36), who left an hour earlier than usual considering road conditions, said, "Even though there was no traffic jam, I couldn’t speed up, so the time it took to get to the office was about the same." Jang (38), who commutes from Sangwangsimni-dong to Seocho-dong, said, "I left my car behind because driving seemed difficult due to the snow," adding, "I tried to take a taxi, but unlike usual when I could get one immediately, today it took more than 10 minutes just to get a dispatch."

Citizens were bundled up in thick clothes against the freezing cold. Many were 'heavily armed' with masks and scarves. Unlike roads where snow removal had been done, some citizens slipped while walking on snow-covered sidewalks. Choi (33) said, "The temperature rose compared to yesterday’s commute, and since I dressed in layers after checking the weather forecast, I can manage."

On social media (SNS), posts confirming severe traffic congestion were continuously uploaded. One citizen sighed on Twitter, saying, "The snow is heavy, and the subway and buses are a mess. I have to commute on a day like this." Another said, "It’s bearable after getting off the subway," but worried, "How will I get home later?" Another citizen sighed with relief, saying, "Everyone crowded the subway, and I almost ended up late for the first time in my life."

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, a heavy snow warning was issued for Seoul, Incheon, and the metropolitan area at 4:50 a.m. that day. Strong snow of 2?3 cm per hour was expected along the northwestern coast of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, while about 1 cm of snow was forecast for Seoul and other parts of the metropolitan area. In Seoul, no casualties from traffic accidents caused by the snow were confirmed. A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official said, "There were only about six minor fender-bender accidents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.