When it snows, it downpours in Seoul: first snow causes chaos

서울·인천·경기·강원 등 4개 시도에 대설특보가 발효된 4일 서울 마포구 홍대 인근에서 퇴근길 차량들이 눈길에 큰 정체를 빚고 있다. [사진=연합뉴스]

SEOUL, December 05 (AJP) -Heavy snowfall across Seoul and southern Gyeonggi triggered a wave of accidents and commuter chaos from rush hour in Wednesday evening to late night as icy roads and inadequate snow removal efforts left drivers stranded and public transportation overwhelmed.

In Seoul, the first snow has now become something of a pattern: when it snows, it downpours—the second year in a row in which the season’s first flakes arrived as a full-blown snowstorm.

[사진=연합뉴스]

Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency said it received 1,902 snow-related calls between 5 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. Wednesday, including 1,087 reports of traffic disruptions, 732 requests for snow removal, and 83 traffic accidents. At 4 a.m., a truck crash near Pangyo Junction on the Gyeongbu Expressway blocked several lanes. Earlier, at 10:43 p.m., six vehicles collided on an icy slope near the Gwacheon Tunnel exit on the Bongdam–Gwacheon Expressway. No major injuries were reported.

While no highways in southern Gyeonggi were fully closed, congestion persisted as temperatures dropped and road surfaces refroze.

People pushing car in Mapo, Seoul. Dec. 4, 2025 (Yonhap)

In Seoul, what began as light flurries quickly intensified—with bursts of thunder—during the evening rush hour. Snow removal operations temporarily closed some streets, forcing passengers to abandon buses and walk. Subway ridership surged as commuters sought alternatives to gridlocked roads. A snow advisory issued at 6 p.m. was lifted two hours later, but disruptions stretched well into the night as snow continued to accumulate.

Residents said the turmoil felt all too familiar, recalling last November’s first snowfall that dumped more than 20 centimeters on the capital. “Even though it’s the first snow, similar issues occurred last year,” said a commuter surnamed Cho, speaking to Yonhap News.

With forecasters warning of icy morning roads, Seoul officials moved to bolster public transit, adding 20 extra subway trains during Thursday’s morning rush hour and extending concentrated bus deployment by 30 minutes. Additional snow removal was planned for icy stretches, sidewalks, and neighborhood roads. All previously restricted sections, including parts of the Inner Ring Road, were reopened overnight.

Many commuters endured long, exhausting journeys home. A 25-year-old office worker, Ahn, said her usual one-hour trip from Sangam-dong to Gangnam stretched to two and a half hours. “I wore Ugg boots because it was slippery, but I still ended up falling,” she said.

After two years of punishing first snowfalls, public frustration is rising. “Are the authorities just waiting for the snow to melt?” one resident said. Another commuter, Cho, 28, was more direct: “If the same thing keeps happening, whether it’s the government or the city, it means they weren’t prepared.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
LEE KEONHEE 기자 topkeontop12@ajunews.com

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