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Vicious cold snap to greet Koreans on first workday of the year Friday

Published: 01 Jan. 2026, 18:23 Updated: 01 Jan. 2026, 18:53

Icicles hang along the Han River near Gwangjin District as subzero temperatures usher in full winter conditions in Seoul on Dec. 31, 2025. [NEWS1]

Korea is bracing for a sharp cold snap on Friday, the first workday of the new year, as frigid air moves south from the northwest, forecasters said.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said temperatures would plunge nationwide on Friday. Morning lows are expected to range from minus 17 to minus 5 degrees Celsius (1.4 to 23 degrees Fahrenheit), with daytime highs reaching only minus 6 to 4 degrees. In much of the country, morning temperatures will hover near minus 10 degrees. Parts of inland Gyeonggi, inland and mountainous Gangwon, and northeastern North Gyeongsang could see lows near minus 15.

The cold weather is being driven by an upper-level trough pulling in cold air and an expanding continental high-pressure system over northern China. In Seoul, temperatures are forecast to range from minus 12 to zero on Friday and minus 9 to 2 on Saturday. Conditions are expected to ease slightly from Sunday, with temperatures rising to between minus 1 and 4 degrees. Cold wave alerts already issued for the greater Seoul area and other regions could be expanded.

Snow is also in the forecast. Through Saturday morning, Ulleungdo and Dokdo could receive 10 to 30 centimeters, while mountainous areas of Jeju Island may see 10 to 20 centimeters (3.9 to 7.9 inches). Lighter snow is expected elsewhere, including the Yellow Sea islands, parts of the southwest and western coastal regions, and inland central areas.

“With strong winds, it will feel even colder,” a weather official said. The agency urged older adults and children to limit outdoor activities and advised farmers to use heating equipment in greenhouses and livestock facilities to prevent damage.

From Jan. 5 through Jan. 11, high pressure is expected to bring generally clear conditions nationwide. Cloudier skies may persist in the Jeolla region and on Jeju Island. Temperatures during that period are forecast to return closer to seasonal norms, with morning lows of minus 9 to 2 degrees and daytime highs of zero to 9 degrees, easing the extreme cold but not ending winter chill.

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 HEO JEONG-WON [[email protected]]