Korean Expat Community for National Disasters

Hello everyone, and welcome to the December episode. These days, you might find yourself saying this a lot “Winter in Korea is really cold”. Even compared to other countries at similar latitudes, Korean winters tend to feel much colder. Today, I’d like to talk about why that is in a simple, fact based way. The biggest reason is the cold air coming from the north. During winter, extremely cold and heavy air forms over Siberia. As this air moves south toward the Korean Peninsula, it has a major impact on Korea’s winter weather. This cold air is dry and intense, and once it settles in, it can bring several days of strong cold temperatures. Another important factor is the wind. In winter, Korea often experiences strong northwesterly winds. These winds come directly from cold continental regions, making them both cold and dry. Because of this, the temperature we actually feel the wind chill is much lower than what the thermometer shows. Korea’s geography also plays a role. The Korean Peninsula stretches from north to south, which allows cold air to move down easily without many barriers. Winter is also relatively dry, so clear skies at night cause temperatures to drop even further in the early morning. Recently, climate change has also been influencing winter weather. Although the global average temperature is rising, changes in atmospheric patterns can cause cold Arctic air to move south more suddenly. This is why some winters bring unexpected cold waves. So, Korea’s harsh winter cold isn’t caused by just one thing. It’s the result of cold northern air, strong winds, geographic features, and changing climate patterns all working together. On days like these, try not to push yourself too hard. Dress warmly, and take good care of your body. As the year comes to an end and Christmas approaches, I hope you can find small moments of warmth a hot meal, a quiet break, or time with people you care about. That’s all for today. Merry Christmas, and I’ll see you again in the next episode.