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Police receive almost 2,000 reports as snow brings surge of traffic accidents and congestion

Published: 05 Dec. 2025, 15:21

People walk among icy roads in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Dec. 5 following a heavy snowfall the previous night. [NEWS1]

Heavy snowfall in Korea on Thursday evening led to a surge in traffic accidents and road congestion throughout the night and into early Friday.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, a total of 1,981 reports were filed between 6 p.m. Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday. These included 166 traffic accidents and 442 traffic-related complaints, along with 1,444 reports classified as risk prevention and 95 other miscellaneous reports.

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said it received 1,902 emergency reports from 5 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday, including 1,087 for traffic disruptions, 732 snow removal requests and 83 traffic accidents.

Meanwhile, the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency said it received 1,349 calls via the 112 police hotline during the same period, including 128 traffic accident reports and 1,221 snow removal requests.

At around 2:50 a.m. Friday, traffic was backed up on several icy roads in Gyeonggi, including the Dongbu Expressway in Uijeongbu and sections of the Guri-Pocheon Expressway near Namyangju.

At 4 a.m., a freight truck accident blocked part of the Seoul-bound lanes of the Gyeongbu Expressway near the Pangyo Junction in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.

Earlier, at around 10:43 p.m. Thursday, a six-vehicle pileup occurred on an icy downhill stretch just past the Gwacheon Tunnel exit on the Seoul-bound Bongdam-Gwacheon Expressway.

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 SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]