Seoul buried in heaviest snowfall in 70 years

HYUNG-JIN KIM, ^ | 1/4/10 | ap

[Nachum]

SEOUL, South Korea – Seoul residents slogged through the heaviest snowfall in modern Korean history after a winter storm dumped more than 11 inches (28 centimeters) Monday, forcing airports to cancel flights and paralyzing traffic in South Korea's bustling capital.

The snow and icy roads snarled traffic in and out of Seoul, and at least three people died in traffic accidents. Many commuters squeezed into packed subways to get to work, and a Cabinet meeting was delayed because ministers were stuck in traffic.

[expatpat]

I’m sure Gore, Hansen, and their co-conspirators at CRU and Penn State will claim it is due to Anthrogenic Global Warming......

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump.

[csmusaret]

DAMN YOU Al Gore!!!

[ClearCase_guy]

Peru, India, South Korea, Europe, and the US all seem to be having very cold weather. That seems like a global trend of coldness.

I guess that's why they changed "Global Warming" over to "Climate Change". No matter. Whatever the problems is called, the solution will always be "deindustrialize the West".

[fishtank]

ping.

Happy New Year!

[WOBBLY BOB]

just bought some fancy exercise shoes direct from the maker in Korea- they guy wasn’t lying about the shipping delay “due to snow”...

I wish Algore could be as truthful.

[6ppc]

Did Gore go to Seoul for the holidays?

[pappyone]

“...least three people died in traffic accidents.”

Wow, maybe the SK’s should hope for more snow if it results in a such a reduction in traffic deaths.

[Dick Bachert]

Global Warming guru Algore – wearing his ever present Nobel medal – is seen here en-route to an important “scientific” conference in Nassau hosted by the UN/IPCC where he was to be the keynote speaker.

Topics on the agenda were to have included “Finding a Good Bail Bondsman,” “Not ALL Criminal Lawyers Are Sharks,” “Changing Careers for Dummies,” “You Want Fries With That?,” “How To Encrypt Emails,” “The Best Prison Jobs,” “Getting Along With Your Cellmate” and “Getting Used to Sleeping On Your Back.”

A sudden – and unfortunate – blast of what the “scientist” in charge of the conference termed “global warming” caused the meeting to be rescheduled until Algore can be thawed some time next Spring – assuming there will BE one.

Our reporter has learned that the influential conservative web site Free Republic has launched a contribution drive to rent a freezer locker in which to keep Gore for the 10 to 15 years estimated it will take for the so-called “mainstream media” to begin covering the Climategate story.

[aviator]

On the spot reporting here in Korea.....since the Koreans don’t have stocks of salt on hand or a large inventory of snow plow trucks, it has really crippled the road system.

[PapaBear3625]

On the spot reporting here in Korea.....since the Koreans don’t have stocks of salt on hand or a large inventory of snow plow trucks, it has really crippled the road system.

This seems odd to me, in light of the stories of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, where US forces had to deal with temps of −35 °F, I would think the Koreans would not find cold weather that odd.

[aviator]

They aren’t complaining about the cold....just the inconvenient 8-11 inches of snow laying about the place.

[Tamar1973]

A friend of mine teaching in Seoul said that school's out for at least the next couple of days. Buses that normally run ever 10 minutes were only running hourly.

He didn't know whether school was in session or not so he walked (since no taxis were coming) about 1/2 to the school, found no classes open so he did a little paperwork and than had to walk home. After he got home, he got a call from the principal, "Oh, BTW, no school today...and none tomorrow either." LOL!

[Tamar1973]

When I lived in Chuncheon, they got a lot of snow, and were usually prepared for it...because they are in the mountains.

Seoul never got nearly as much snow as Chuncheon, even though they are both near the 38th paralell. I’m not suprised that Seoul was caught off guard, especially since the city that they call Seoul now has nearly engulfed Incheon to the west and Suwon to the south. It’s much larger than it was in the 50’s.

As for cold, it is relative, but I remember when I lived there, I started wearing my heavy down coat in October while my student’s didn’t realize it was winter until January.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Many cabbis skipped the day of work because they fear that working under such an atrocious condition is the sure way of getting into accidents, and lose more money than they could have earned all day.

Cold weather started real early this year: some 3~4 weeks. It stayed that way more or less. People have trouble with heating. It was so cold that heating bill is shooting up. As a result, it is rather 'chilly' indoors compared with the past.

Yesterday, many people literally fought their way to work. Only to find that it is almost lunch time. When their work day is over, instead of heading home, which would be another long harrowing journey, they signed up for overtime. It is more secure and far less stressful. Some others hit the local sauna which has large lounge area where they can chat, snack, watch TV, or take a nap for hours, even all through the night, as you know well.

[Tamar1973]

Many cabbis skipped the day of work because they fear that working under such an atrocious condition is the sure way of getting into accidents, and lose more money than they could have earned all day.

I don't blame them for not wanting to take their chances.

Cold weather started real early this year: some 3~4 weeks. It stayed that way more or less. People have trouble with heating. It was so cold that heating bill is shooting up. As a result, it is rather 'chilly' indoors compared with the past.

I remember my hagwon wouldn't turn the heater on at all until Jan. 1, even though it would get down into the 30's and 40's in late October. Brrrr!

Yesterday, many people literally fought their way to work. Only to find that it is almost lunch time. When their work day is over, instead of heading home, which would be another long harrowing journey, they signed up for overtime. It is more secure and far less stressful. Some others hit the local sauna which has large lounge area where they can chat, snack, watch TV, or take a nap for hours, even all through the night, as you know well.

Considering that many people commute into Seoul from as far away as Chuncheon, I'm not surprised that many of them just stayed overnight at a sauna or one of those cheap officetels.