Tag: Han River

It has been a cold December in South Korea:

The Han River in Seoul was declared frozen by South Korea’s state weather agency for the first time this winter Sunday, as a cold snap has continued for days.

The first freeze of the river was observed on the river running through the capital city more than two weeks earlier than previous years, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

According to the KMA, the river is officially frozen when it has thick ice in a 100-meter-long area between the Han River Bridge’s second and fourth piers. The bridge links Yongsan Ward and Dongjak Ward

In previous winters, the first freeze on the river was declared around Jan. 10. Last winter, the Han River never officially froze.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It appears a North Korean boy’s body has been found floating in the Han River estuary:

The corpse of a very thin boy washed up in South Korean waters near the sea border with North Korea and police are looking for clues as to whether it came from the North.    
   
A 110-centimeter-tall boy was found dead near Jeollyu port in the Han River Estuary on Wednesday. Police wonder whether he was washed over the border.  
   
According to the Ilsan Western Police, the body of the child was discovered by a fisherman around 12 p.m.   

The corpse didn’t seem to have injuries but was extremely thin.    
   
“The boy seems to be around the age of 10 and was only wearing a pair of worn-out, red shorts — no shirt,” a police officer said.    
   
The shorts had no brand and had a rubber band around the waistline, which would be unusual on a South Korean child.    
   
To identify the corpse, the police asked the National Institute of Forensic Sciences to determine the manufacturer of the shorts.   

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

Here is the latest restrictions on people in Seoul:

The Seoul metropolitan government on Tuesday restricted access to crowded areas of Han River parks starting at 2 p.m. to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

The affected areas are two squares at Yeouido Han River Park, parts of Ttukseom Park and two picnic zones at Banpo Han River Park.

Across the Han River parks, 28 stores and seven cafes will end at 9 p.m. every day. Forty-three parking lots at 11 Han River parks will also deny entry from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

People cross the Han River during an event in Seoul on Aug. 10, 2018, in a boat made of corrugated cardboard, plastic wrap and adhesive tape. (Yonhap)

A second defector has crossed over the DMZ in a week:

A North Korean man defected to South Korea on Sunday after crossing the border, Seoul’s military said.

He was spotted at the northern part of the mouth of the Han River in Gimpo, just west of Seoul, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The JCS said the man, in his early 20s, was spotted around 2:30 a.m. Sunday near the observation post of the Second Marine Division. Questioning is under way to find out what caused him to flee to the South.

The man is said to have swum his way south with plastic foam pieces on both shoulders to stay afloat. The JCS said he was discovered at a particularly narrow stretch in the river.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link.