South Korea braces for cold spell as snow disrupts ports and semiconductors
South Korea is bracing for a cold spell that will continue through Thursday into Friday, with a mix of rain and snow forecast across parts of the peninsula. The agency projects snowfall and precipitation amounts across the eastern and southern regions as well as mountainous areas of Gangwon.
Snow is expected to accumulate 5 to 15 cm in the Gangwon mountain areas, 1 to 3 cm along Gangwon’s east coast, 1 to 5 cm in the mountains of North Gyeongsang, and 3 to 8 cm on Ulleungdo and Dokdo. In terms of rainfall, Gangwon’s east coast and mountains could see 5 to 20 mm, while the Chungcheong and Jeolla regions are forecast to receive around 1 mm, with Busan and Ulsan at 5 to 10 mm and Daegu, Gyeongbuk, and southern Gyeongnam around 5 mm.
Morning temperatures will be chilly across the inland areas, with lows around 1 degree Celsius in Seoul, 0 in Suwon, -2 in Chuncheon, 0 in Daejeon, 2 in Daegu, 5 in Busan, and 6 in Jeju. Daily highs are forecast to range from 7 to 14 degrees across the country, with Seoul at about 13 degrees, Suwon 13, Chuncheon 13, Daejeon 13, Daegu 12, Busan 13, and Jeju 11.
The weather pattern will keep inland mornings below freezing for the near term, and the day-to-night temperature difference is expected to be around 15 degrees Celsius through the 14th. Such swings can pose health risks, particularly for the elderly and those with certain medical conditions.
In the southwest, Gwangju and Jeollanam-do are likely to stay mostly cloudy, with notable diurnal temperature swings. Morning lows are forecast around 2 degrees in Gwangju and Mokpo, about 4 degrees in Yeosu, with daytime highs in the 10 to 14 degree range depending on locale.
For international readers, this forecast comes from South Korea’s national weather agency and outlines conditions across major population centers and key logistics hubs. The regions named correspond to administrative provinces and notable coastal and island areas, including Ulleungdo and Dokdo in the East Sea.
The weather matters beyond Korea because cold snaps and precipitation can disrupt supply chains, shipping, and manufacturing tied to South Korea’s semiconductor, electronics, and automotive sectors. Busan and Ulsan host major ports and heavy industrial activity; any snowfall or rainfall can affect port operations and transportation logistics that feed global markets, especially for U.S. manufacturers and technology companies.
Additionally, South Korea is a leading global producer of memory chips and other electronics, and winter weather can influence energy demand, commuting patterns, and the pace of production in factories that supply worldwide supply chains. U.S. businesses with operations or investments in Korea, or with goods moving through Korean corridors, may see weather-related delays or scheduling adjustments in the days ahead.