Members of Gangwon National University’s Dogye Campus Stranded Due to Heavy Snow. [Photo = Yonhap News, Provided by Reader]
Heavy snow accumulation has trapped members of Gangwon National University’s Dogye Campus, located at an elevation of 800 meters in a mountainous area of Gangwon.
According to a Yonhap News report on the 18th, as of 6 p.m. that day, over 300 students and faculty members of the Gangwon National University Dogye Campus were isolated on campus due to the suspension of vehicle operations caused by heavy snowfall.
Located on Yukbaeksan Mountain in Dogye-eup, Samcheok City, the Gangwon National University Dogye Campus is the highest-altitude educational institution in the country, even higher than Korea’s tallest building, the Lotte World Tower (555 meters).
That afternoon, there was an incident where a bus traveling to the school got into an accident on the snowy roads, reportedly putting students at risk of serious injury.
Some school members expressed regret that the school should have swiftly adjusted the academic schedule, such as closing the school or transitioning to online classes, in anticipation of the heavy snow.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Dogye-eup recorded 18.4 cm of snow from midnight to 5 p.m. that day, and the steep mountain location of the Dogye Campus makes vehicle operation impossible during heavy snowfalls.
In March 2018, the campus also closed due to heavy snow.
The school announced that it would complete snow removal work quickly with local governments and related organizations to reduce inconvenience for students.
A school official stated, “We will resume bus operations as soon as possible to help students return home.”