South Korea: At least 4 dead in heaviest November snowfall on record | DW News

For the second day in a row, South Korea dealt with heavy snowfall, with dozens of flights canceled and ferry operations suspended. At least four people were reported dead as a result of the weather conditions. It was the heaviest winter snowfall in more than 100 years and third heaviest in the capital Seoul since records began in 1907, according to the Yonhap news agency, citing data from the city. One person died and two were injured at a golf range after a net overladen with snow collapsed, while another was killed in a similar collapse of a protective tent at a car park, media reported. Two more people were killed in traffic accidents attributed to the weather on highways east of the capital.
What's behind the heavy snowfall?
More than 40 cm (16 inches) of snow piled up in parts of Seoul on Thursday morning, forcing the cancellation of more than 140 flights. By 10 a.m. local time, the heavy snow warnings were lifted by weather officials. The unusually heavy November snow has been attributed to the warmer-than-usual temperatures of sea waters west of the Korean peninsula encountering currents of cold air. Neighboring North Korea has also seen more than 10 cm of snow in some areas, state broadcaster Korean Central Television said.
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[@yuchan063]

This amount of snow falls every year in South Korea. But the first snowfall in November has never been this heavy. I am afraid of what will happen in December and January.

[@Sam88-l4k]

That's why is says "heaviest NOVEMBER snowfall on record"

[@user-ss9dl3qt2l]

강원도면 몰라도 서울에 이정도로 내리는건 드물죠 20cm정도면 모를까

[@user-me1ll4xc8g]

There is a day when Seoul recorded the coldest temperature of any major city in the world last year. The European cold is nothing. South Korea is close to Siberia, so the cold is no joke. A few years ago, the Soutn Korean Winter Olympics were also the coldest winter Olympics ever It snows more and is not colder because of the high latitudes. The UK and Western Europe rarely fall below zero in the middle of winter, but Japan has the most snow in the world. Japan has the highest record of heavy snow

[@DonkeyRhubarb21]

I was washing my car four days ago, 17 degrees, sunny, sweating. Yesterday, this.

[@iwantanewhead2976]

Kim chi

[@braunarsch]

@@Joe-sg9ll 17 degrees Celsius my brother

[@freespiritable]

Sounds like normal weather by 2024 standards

[@raclark2730]

You sweet in 17 degrees, were you born in Antarctica.

[@lmb_codes]

17 is cold

[@johndextersantos9541]

Just imagine how North Koreans are doing.

[@nem3th]

Maybe better than South K, i bet they has zero traffic incidents, and no power grid failures, as power already been switched off for most part of the days as always.

[@johndextersantos9541]

@nem3th Good point, they have hit rock bottom and can't go any lower 😅

[@superyt4ever]

@@nem3th Then move to North Korea. You would love living there.

[@Baheieujlsksnen]

I'm sorry for those who passed due to the snow, but honestly S Korea snows a lot every year, no it's not a real surprise. I'm a born& raised Korean.

[@seoyoungkim9902]

Korea usually gets down to -20 degrees in winter and there is a lot of snow, so heavy snowfall itself is not a problem. But the problem this time is that it came too suddenly and too much wet snow. Because it accumulates quickly, trees and facilities collapsed and people died. So at the end of the news, it was mentioned that the temperature of the sea was higher than normal, which caused the wet snow. It's not funny. Global warming is not just about warmer weather.

[@PavelDatsyuk-ui4qv]

It's not anthropogenic global warming

[@chloe_n_leo]

Thanks for the insight

[@TheSpiritombsableye]

So, "lake" effect snow.

[@canadabear72]

Interestingly, it NEVER gets that cold in the south. If it hits -10 at any point in the winter down here, people freak out!

[@ILIVEAGOODLIFE]

There is no problem. It's just nature doing its thing and giving South Korea much needed baby making weather. 9 months from now, babies will be everywhere. Stop looking for problems in everything

[@CorazonFelismino]

Take care all! God bless🙏

[@ucruci]

November is early for major snow storm in Korea.

[@user-specdsds1555]

1:14 I was completely overwhelmed, literally.

[@petter5721]

Looks like a normal summer day in Sweden 😂

[@seoyoungkim9902]

yes, because in Korea there is more light, more happiness and less winter blues than in the Swedish winter, like summer day in Sweden.

[@ElwoodEBlues]

Maybe *early* summer in *northern* Sweden. I usually visit southern Sweden in July /August/ September by cycle. That's a different story. hälsningar från Tyskland!

[@SlashHarkenUltra]

@@petter5721 Sweden doesn't even have sunlight for half the year

[@user-ss9dl3qt2l]

미안하지만 스웨덴의 겨울은 한국의 겨울보다 따뜻해요ㅎㅎ

[@user-pp5iv8vv8f]

​@@user-ss9dl3qt2l 기후부심 부리지말고 한국 날씨는 연교차가 심한거지 스웨덴 북부쪽은 개마고원 이상급임

[@piniokwilku2282]

so THATS why there is no snow in poland

[@davidchamberlain5425]

We had more snow in Scotland a week ago than that 🌨️🌨️🌨️🌨️

[@login-xt6hv]

Do you want to build a snowman

[@NoctLightCloud]

it's a bit difficult to understand your male main narrator here

[@ashutoshyadav7385]

It's an Indian accent I guess

[@theoBaba773]

😂

[@SlashHarkenUltra]

DEI?

[@NoctLightCloud]

@@SlashHarkenUltra I don't know😂 but imagine a foreigner talking with a thick accent in Hindu on a Hindu TV channel. Or in Chinese on a Chinese TV channel. Locals would also have difficulties understanding them.

[@DoodleDan]

The Indian speaker is the equivalent of a German having to listen to a Bavarian speak

[@netzwerk-werkstatt332]

Winter tires recommended 😉

[@andrewjones-productions]

I'm pretty sure that just as they are here in Japan (depending on region), they are mandatory in South Korea. Typically, this time of year is yet to see heavy snowfall, in places like Seoul so many people were likely caught out and hadn't yet changed their tyres over.

[@NattakritNimtagool-z4z]

Hello From Thailand

[@thomHD]

Coming from northern Europe the climate in South Korea is unebelievable - 35c and humid as Singapore in the summer, but then down to -15 more or less every winter, with Spring and Autumn each lasting about ten minutes.

[@dabda8510]

Hottest summer and coldest winter they experienced, said UN soldiers fighting in the Korean War.

[@boblatkey7160]

If you think this is extreme weather just wait a couple of years! It is going to get exponentially worse from year to year to year.

[@AuJohnM]

Sure. You mean like temperatures have risen about 1.1 C in 140 years (which is only 0.7 C per century)? Don't talk rubbish for which there is no evidence.

[@snizami]

​@AuJohnM do you not know what that temperature rise means at a global scale? It's enormous, and our emissions are the highest they've ever been and are not going down. Even if we stopped all GHGs instantly, extreme weather events will continue to be worse than before.

[@Jc-ms5vv]

@@AuJohnMhaha you bring up 1.1c in 140 years… dude that’s called exponential change right there. Although those numbers are not true, it’s warming much faster than that. Just wait till the arctic ice is gone :)

[@AuJohnM]

It's called weather. There's so much of it around the world that records will often be broken. In this case it was the third heaviest since 1907, which means it's all happened in the past.

[@sirachi2530]

So if records are being broken down everytime does that mean it's getting worse?

[@snizami]

Weather and climate aren't the same thing. Yes, individual weather events can be brushed aside. It's the pattern of worsening events that's the issue.

[@Jc-ms5vv]

Mass extinctions have happened in the past too :)

[@모래시계365]

@@snizami if it continues all winter and next year and all decade and the decade after that and after that. even then the earth has been around for 4 billion years. With 30 years out of 4 billion is hard to talk about pattern.

[@snizami]

@slimjim8488 The pattern clearly shows up very much because of how rapid the changes have been, and we know the mechanism of action and the causal relationship. Anthropogenic climate change is real, and its impacts are and will be devastating.

[@Leechenghee]

Indian accent English is the future standard all over the world 😂

[@JaneMurray-di3gq]

@@Joe-sg9llwhy do you mock like a child? Grow up expand your mind and learn about other cultures!

[@anthonytran7566]

Indians populate the world we learn to eat curry delicacy !!!!!

[@Vandanms]

Seoul became soul

[@mehmoodkhankhattak]

they shuld consult finland for snow removal, and especially airport services in heavy snow fall.

[@Infinitespinach]

At least it wasn't described as historic.

[@catg2282]

Guys, they experienced(from what i understood) a lake effect snowfall but from sea instead of lake. The Yellow Sea(to the west of Korean Peninsula) was warmer than normal(global warming), then when colder winds blew over the sea due to increase in moisture it caused heavy snow in the country. To others who are used to this much snow, Korea experiences quite cold winters, due to Siberian winds coming down. But this was a bigger snow event since it's still November (plus, from what i have heard it was wet snow, which is heavier and could weight down, power lines, branches, etc.)

[@0ut0fafricaa]

Rain and cold.

[@Moondoggy1941]

I am from So. Cal. this looks like a lot of snow for us.

[@GiampaoloQuercia]

🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

[@Mountainlions69]

Lots of snow I think that's the reason for their record snowfall

[@silverlightfox6621]

Korean army stew sounds like its on the menu during the weather, stay safe!

[@SpiceBoy7UK23]

What's behind it? The north is

[@AnitaDil]

Snow?

[@urimtefiki226]

Here where I live there are no snow but is cold.

[@valevisa8429]

"There is no snow".

[@Rckid28]

Died because of snow? Said no one ever… that just looks like a sprinkle 😂

[@wipworkinprogress1344]

Not a drop of rain in punjab !!!

[@yogeshkadam4349]

Maybe January to march

[@BREAKBALLYT]

in India its rainfall😂

[@happyhappycatus]

Omg fish stick soup to warm up? I thought she was going to say coffee or hot cocoa Does this lady know she’s about to become a meme?

[@canadabear72]

It's fish stock soup. It's a Korean thing.

[@gilean6179]

@@canadabear72For a while i thougt it was Stock Fish….the chess super engine LOL

[@happyhappycatus]

@@canadabear72 nah. Give this poor lady tea

[@the1andonly]

Here in Canada this would be just another day. The snow wouldn't be melting away neither.

[@scrollop]

And in Antarctica it's like this most of the time. Fascinating.

[@snizami]

Last year in Southern Ontario I didn't once have to shovel or pull out the snowblower because it barely snowed and instantly melted. Climate is now regular showing up in the weather, and it's only getting worse.

[@the1andonly]

@@snizami Alberta is different, but we get mild days too 😉

[@Ramthian-q8v]

Pay back time folks

[@gilean6179]

Okay …please wait for me…we ll be there during Chrismas week! Yipee…

[@nurain4316]

Dead and car accident to be correct. Not because of snow, they drive fast and not take precautions.

[@canadabear72]

I live in the only part of Korea that doesn't get any snow! Gotta say, I don't miss it!

[@BrandyHeng007]

Spain deadly flood to South Korea heavy snow , something big coming

[@The1886z]

That's not snow come to Erie Pennsylvania

[@pberPSR]

did she say fish cake soup?

[@kamelicious3656]

its basically '"oden'" a japanese dish

[@Isl33p]

Yeah, Oden. But sometimes, it's translated as "fish cake" because translators think Westerners may be unfamiliar with Oden.

[@TheProcecution]

who not what shadow

[@claudiocorleone7856]

Sure and it melted 6 hours later! Give us a break!

[@jackt1400]

How envy is that, we can't have any snow in our country.

[@furadhawkan]

dw news with an indian accest is crazy

[@pumpupjam9648]

Id worry about power failures. No heat in the poorer families homes. The animals they have tied up outside, their birds that lay their eggs. Lot of thingsthat gave not happen in 100 yrs or more. Like this plus violent weather pattern no one has control any control over. Just hope thoee who need to go out be careful.

[@skyworks1621]

Heavy snow ? 😂... that is not even 10 cm of snow

[@Jake-gy7qo]

According to South Korean media, the average snowfall was 40 cm and the maximum was 47.5 cm. That is a significant amount of snow considering that it is still November in South Korea.

[@GamingContentStuff]

The gov. has gone emergency mode and is doing a lot of things to clean the snow

[@Maojinping-wg3gw]

Bro its only november imagine December

[@gbjb6606]

its called heavy snow because its mixed with water, not because it snowed a lot

[@anacipaulina818]

And we are 30c here in Indonesia

[@Ramthian-q8v]

😢

[@todow48]

Sometimes women’s periods start early.

[@Mrbutters03]

The curse of johnny Somali has befallen upon them

[@kulvantsingh571]

First flood in Shaun, now excess snow. Wars are speeding climate chhange

[@angeljo6020]

Poor animals

[@2F4R4W4Y]

Forget about Soul. The amazing Kim family was able to eradicate all snow problems for the north Koreans 300km north....

[@peaceofmind7390]

Why German news portal smell like Indian?

[@kltpzyxm_]

November and winter is my guess.

[@muravi8167]

Small mercies DW has not blamed kim jung yun, putin or xi jiping !🤣

[@Grasshopper.80]

Calling a few inches off snow extreme weather 😂

[@JulietaASUNCION-kk4qc]

Plant TREE From The TREE FOR PEACE and DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM!!!

[@123pangolin]

Rivetting

[@glennstone178]

It's the evil plot of Simon Bar Sinister, go snow!! ❄️

[@2024mikeelder]

Global cooling. 🎉

[@schizo0223]

No, this is due to Global warming because the ocean temperature is warmer and the cold Siberian winds that made its way down mixed with the warm waters to produce saline effect snow. Which is like the Lake Effect Snow they experience near the Great Lakes of the US. But that ocean is known for that sort of snow, it's just that it doesn't really bring that sort of snow to Seoul, it usually snows like that further south of Seoul where the temperature is warmer on average thus this sort of snow is much more normal.

[@stefaniaslovat]

But the governments and hundreds of activists are saying that the climate is warming.

[@Vandanms]

It's weather change all over the world given with a simple context. Drought and exponential rainfall, arid hot and heavy wet snow. It's not an issue for humans. It's concern about rest of the species, that's gonna change the whole demography of earth.

[@timpriddy349]

I cant understand AKMIRS accent

[@baekjason6386]

If global climate change keep going, winter of Seoul will be changed dry and cold, scarce light snow, to humid and mild, often heavy snow.

[@mvsoooo]

I don't know how Russia do it but they need to stop😅

[@valevisa8429]

You sound like a trumper.

[@Daofro0]

Uh... Accelerated Climate change?🤣 Pardon me for laughing, it's out of frustration seeing people say things that's full of 💩. I'm from the 🇵🇭 and it's really funny how people especially the ones who can't and won't accept this reality is happening all around us, to be this dismissive about this topic cause they don't experience it themselves. This past month alone, we experienced 4 straight storms in the span of 2 weeks if iirc, that devastated a lot of communities, businesses and livelihoods.🙌👀

[@malcolmwhite6588]

Yet another example of global warming😂

[@pluto2080]

Bro I'm literally melting in 30c° in where i live and they're having snow ?💀

[@raclark2730]

That's only 5 degrees warmer than I set my AC. Take a spoonful of cement. 😂

[@AX-sq5vm]

Drill baby brill Cry baby cry

[@ILIVEAGOODLIFE]

Well, maybe winter and nature helping South Korea make more babies? Why do we look for problems where there is none?

[@davidfromamerica1871]

What is behind the Snow in South Korea.😵‍💫 It’s called ‘’Clouds’’😄👍

[@justhearken8106]

What is behind the record snowfall????????? God.

[@beginninginnewyork3459]

印加封界 1 2:5 7@中国人民解放军陆军中将。

[@COWBOYBARNMAN]

Did she say, fish tank soup? Oh my gosh.

[@allencoffland1685]

fish cake soup

[@TheSphat]

"Hot fish cake soup" I want that, that sounds so asian...

[@Hotbulldozer]

4 dead from... Snow 😳 It's white and fluffy? We have -20°C and half a meter of snow, no one is dying... 🤔🌨️🇸🇪

[@freespiritable]

Someone explained it caught the city and citizens unprepared. Also due to being earlier in fall, it was wet Snow which caused more problems.

[@JT-2312]

On average, in January, Seoul is slightly colder than Stockholm.

[@hazelnut3794]

In fact, Moscow, Russia, is the only major European metropolis with colder average winter temperatures than Seoul metropolitan area

[@snizami]

Because you're used to it and prepared and it's not wet snow suddenly showing up before it usually does.

[@Wnsqlwnd]

The snow wasn’t ‘fluffy’. But more like wet cake that kept stacking up to 30~50cm in city areas (which is not so different from the weight of fish tanks). I was walking to my yoga class when it was just starting to snow on dry land. 20mins was enough to turn me into a walking snowman, 1hr later when I came back out the snow level was already getting pass 20cm. Then 30mins later it was already going past 30cms. So most of the snow happened within 4hrs from a typical autumn morning. Oh, almost forgot to mention that we had an oddly warm November. Grass was still green just the day before and now I literally can’t get out of my house without crampons (almost broke my hips this morning😢).

[@altezza82]

Global warming

[@wps3023]

Science: The Earth is getting farther from the Sun from November to February.

[@Davywatson121]

You'd think so. But the closest the earth gets to the sun is early January. Perihelion is two weeks after the winter solstice. Winter and summer are dictated by the tilt of the Earths axis ❤🎉

[@JeffBilkins]

There is more to it, Earth axis of rotation is also tilted in relation to the plane of orbit.

[@Picabeba]

😂😂😂Seasons have nothing tò do with how far earth Is from the sun. Bloody ignorant

[@cronobactersakazakii5133]

Where do you get your "science" ? It’s the opposite. The earth is closer to the sun in january and farthest in june. But it has nothing to do with seasons as presentely it is winter in the north hemishere and summer in the southern one.

[@JaneMurray-di3gq]

@@JeffBilkinsalso the great earthquake of 2011 that rocked Japan, knocked earths axis by a few degrees. This has greatly contributed to changing weather patterns.

[@pulse833]

Global warning strikes again

[@monkfishmondfinsternis3162]

You read the description of the video. 👍 High temperatures in the oceans creates more evaporation and when the atmosphere cools down - in autumn or winter - there is more rain or snowfall. It's basic physics.

[@anthonytran7566]

Even in Asia !!!!

[@alpharius_nox]

Let me guess DW, CO2?

[@D_isco_D_ancer]

So this people dont know about winter tires and De-freeze liquid for the airplanes?

[@hazelnut3794]

It's weird that you think a lot of car owners install it and complete it in advance from November, when the concept of heavy snow in Seoul is almost nonexistent.

[@Wnsqlwnd]

The grass was literally still green the day before. I live in Korea and the snow you see in the video mostly happened within 4hrs. Moreover it’s not your typical soft snow. I was walking with an umbrella and the snow kept sticking+stacking that I had to tilt my umbrella every few steps, and each time was like emptying a bucket. The consistency was almost like cake that is drenched in syrup.

[@hazelnut3794]

@@Wnsqlwnd yup, fluffy cake

[@chicograndeblast]

What's behind South Korea's snow? Cold Air.

[@georgeblackley6028]

It's something to do with the weather.

[@hareeshe1473]

🥶👍

[@maxdout564]

Waiting for DW to blame Russia or Iran.

[@JaneMurray-di3gq]

And if you were in Canada it would be blamed on Trudeau, haha ha

[@lottytaylor572]

So you all know they ‘cloud seed’ & play with the weather right ?

[@Rayjack-m9o]

10 years ago They would have said Global Warming !

[@Jc-ms5vv]

Do you only pay attention to the snow storms?

[@Jason.W.]

Love the last 10 seconds with the cause … attributed to… gotta be the worse title I’ve seen in a while.

[@davidreynolds3082]

Answer: the weather. I'm so brainy ;)

[@iIiiIiiiliiIiiIl]

The heavens are angry because they filed a class action lawsuit against Lee Jae-myung, the true next leader of Korea.

[@leonelbustosb]

These heavy Indian accents. Come on! Better reporting!

[@ambroisevalet]

could have chosen any talented orator, had to use the indian guy

[@YellewBhee]

Oreshnik

[@Eric-jo8uh]

All the climate change sheep will be shrieking….ahhhhhhhh climate change 😂😂😂😂

[@d.sertsedesta4106]

Is this not Russian sabotage?

[@lobsangtwain7872]

Global warming my ars

[@morkaili]

Pff 40cm and they've issues. In Northern Europe for example they've/had above a Meter of snow already with up to -20°C.

[@JaneMurray-di3gq]

Check an atlas to see where South Korea is.

[@morkaili]

​@@JaneMurray-di3gqThat's not my point.

[@hazelnut3794]

@@morkaili I don't understand what you want to convey without saying the point from the beginning, but for your information, San Francisco and Athens are other major cities in the same latitude as Seoul in Korea.