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Morning commuters disgruntled as overnight snowfall causes disruptions

Published: 05 Dec. 2025, 11:16

A commuter is seen grabbing onto a pole for balance near Seoul National University Station in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 5. [LEE GYU-RIM]

Major disruptions lasted throughout the Friday morning commute after heavy snow accompanied by thunder and lightning fell across Seoul and the greater metropolitan area on Thursday evening. Some commuters expressed concerns about being late to work, while others voiced frustration over the chaotic rush hour.

To prevent further delays due to road closures and accidents from the previous night, the government announced it would increase public transportation services during the morning commute and carry out additional snow removal measures.

At 7 a.m., sidewalks near Seoul National University Station in Gwanak District, southern Seoul were frozen solid, resembling an ice rink. Many people on their way to work slipped, and some even fell.

A man in his 20s surnamed Kim, who commutes from Gwanak to Seocho District, said, “I walked through some alleyways, but the main sidewalks seemed even less clear,” and added, “It’s so slippery that I’m walking as cautiously as I can.”

As delays in public transportation occurred, many worried about being late and were seen nervously pacing at stations and stops.

“I usually take the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, but a co-worker said I’d be late if I took it, so I switched to Line 6. I’ll probably be late anyway,” said a man in his 50s commuting from Mapo District to Yeouido.

People wait in line for buses at Sadang Station in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 5. [LEE GYU-RIM]

A 32-year-old worker surnamed Lim, who commutes by bus from Yangcheon District, said, “There’s a steep slope near my house, so I was worried the bus wouldn’t make it, so I left early,” adding, “There were no problems, but it took longer than usual, so I’m still worried about being late.”

There was criticism that snow removal had been insufficient on Thursday, and that preparations were lacking despite the forecast for heavy snow.

“On my way home yesterday, the bus couldn’t make it up a hill, and I had to transfer four times,” said a 49-year-old surnamed Kim, who commutes from Gwanak District to Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi. “A trip that usually takes 40 minutes took an hour and a half, and it feels even more slippery this morning.”

The confusion continued past 8 a.m. on Friday.

A worker in their 50s surnamed Joo, commuting from Songpa District in Seoul to Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi, said, “The bus that should have arrived at 7 a.m. still hadn’t come by 8:21 a.m. I usually get to work before 9, but today I probably won’t make it before 10.”

People are seen at Sadang Station in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 5. [LEE GYU-RIM]

“The buses normally come every 15 minutes, but today I waited more than 30 minutes,” said a 22-year-old university student surnamed Kim commuting from Gangnam to Suwon, Gyeonggi. “I thought I’d avoid being late by leaving early, but I’ll probably be about 10 minutes late.”

At the same time, the situation in Yeouido, western Seoul, was similar. A citizen wearing dress shoes carefully shuffled forward as if skiing to avoid slipping on the icy roads. A car passing in front of a crosswalk slid slightly, with its tires spinning in place for about two seconds. Many citizens expressed dissatisfaction with the snow removal efforts.

“It took me a long time to get here because deicing agents like calcium chloride weren’t properly applied to the roads,” said a 25-year-old commuter surnamed Jung at the Yeouido Transfer Center.

People get onto buses at Yeouido Transfer Center in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 5. [KWAK JOO-YOUNG]

Another commuter, a person in their 50s surnamed Lee, who commutes from Seongnam, Gyeonggi, to Sadang Station, said, “I usually drive to work, but since the roads weren’t properly cleared, I took the subway instead,” and added, “I almost slipped while walking to the station.”

To minimize disruptions, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced it would increase subway operations by 20 services during the morning rush hour on Friday and extend the concentrated bus deployment period by 30 minutes. Additional snow removal efforts would also be carried out, particularly on frozen sections, sidewalks and back roads.

The central government has activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters and is inspecting snow removal measures.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM CHANG-YONG, KWAK JOO-YOUNG, LEE GYU-RIM [[email protected]]