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Subway services increased, clearance crews dispatched after heavy snow falls in Seoul

Published: 05 Dec. 2025, 08:55 Updated: 05 Dec. 2025, 10:14

A woman walks with children on an icy road in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on the morning of Dec. 5, as a cold wave froze roads across the capital following heavy snowfall the previous night. [NEWS1]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Friday that it has taken measures during the morning rush hour to ease commuter congestion following heavy snowfall overnight.

Subway operations were increased by 20 services and the peak bus dispatch period was extended by 30 minutes.

Vehicles are stuck in heavy traffic near Hongdae in Mapo District, western Seoul, during the evening rush hour of Dec. 4, as heavy snow warnings were issued for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi and Gangwon. [YONHAP]

Additional snow removal crews and equipment were deployed to areas at risk of icing, including major roads, side streets and pedestrian walkways in central Seoul. Road salt was also applied to main roads and expressways.

All roads that had been partially closed due to the snow were cleared and reopened by early Friday morning. According to the Seoul Transport Operation and Information Service, restrictions on 28 expressway segments and nine city roads — put in place after the snowfall Thursday night — were fully lifted at 4:53 a.m., with the final clearance completed on the southbound section of Bundang-Suseo Road between the southern end of Cheongdam Bridge and Tancheon No. 1 Bridge.

As of 6:40 a.m., the average traffic speed in central Seoul was 20.4 kilometers per hour (12.7 miles per hour), and the citywide average was 21.7 kilometers per hour, indicating continued slow traffic.

The snowstorm hit the capital for about two hours late Thursday, causing widespread traffic disruptions, especially during the evening rush hour.

The city government urged caution, warning that black ice was likely to form and advised residents to be alert for potential slip-and-fall accidents.

Tourists enjoy the snow near Hongdae in Mapo District, western Seoul, Dec. 4. [YONHAP]

Commuters walk after getting off a bus at the Jahamun Tunnel in Jongno District, central Seoul, Dec. 4, as heavy snow warnings were issued for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi and Gangwon. [YONHAP]

Vehicles crawl along the icy road on the Inner Beltway in Hongje-dong, Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Dec. 4, as the capital saw its first heavy snowfall of the winter. [YONHAP]

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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]