South Korea Braces for Cold Spell, Mountain Snow, Risk to Chip Supply Chains
The Korea Meteorological Administration said Friday morning will bring a wide temperature spread as a cold air mass fades, producing notable diurnal swings. Central regions are expected to stay mostly clear through the afternoon, while the southern provinces and Jeju Island will be intermittently cloudy, and the East Sea coast will be generally cloudy.
In Seoul, the forecast calls for a low around 2°C and a daytime high near 12°C. Incheon is expected to share similar numbers (about 2°C low and 11°C high). Cheorwon could dip to around -2°C with a 10°C high, while Wonju may see -1°C and 11°C. Gangneung is forecast at 3°C/7°C, Chungju -1°C/11°C, Daejeon 1°C/12°C, Sejong -1°C/12°C, Jeonju 1°C/12°C, Gwangju 2°C/14°C, Daegu 2°C/11°C, Busan 4°C/11°C, Ulsan 4°C/8°C, and Jeju 7°C/11°C.
Rain or snow is expected through the afternoon along the Gangwon coast and its mountainous areas, the eastern coast of North Gyeongsang, and the eastern inland regions of Busan, Ulsan, and southern Gyeongsang. Jeju Island may see a trace of drizzle in the early morning. Overall rainfall is forecast at roughly 5–20 millimeters for the Gangwon east coast and mountains, and 5–20 millimeters for the eastern coast of North Gyeongsang and nearby offshore areas, with 5–10 millimeters anticipated for Busan and Ulsan.
Snow is likely in the inland mountains of Gangwon, with accumulations around 5–15 centimeters (some areas exceeding 20 cm). Snow totals on Gangwon’s eastern coast are expected to be 1–3 cm, while Ulleungdo and Dokdo could see 3–8 cm. The northeastern inland regions of North Gyeongsang may have 1–5 cm, and the northern part of the North Gyeongsang coast could see less than 1 cm.
Air quality is forecast to range from good to moderate across most of the country, though the Jeolla and Jeju regions may experience poorer air quality up to dawn.
Why this matters beyond Korea: South Korea is a major global exporter and a key producer of semiconductors and electronics. Weather disruptions can slow production and affect logistics that feed supply chains for American manufacturers and consumers. Cold snaps increase energy demand and can impact transportation networks at major ports such as Busan, which in turn can influence timing and costs for shipments to the United States. For U.S. policymakers and businesses, such forecasts underscore the sensitivity of regional manufacturing hubs and global electronics markets to seasonal weather patterns, and the potential ripple effects on pricing, inventories, and delivery schedules.