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Weather in January
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Weather in January in South Korea

Considering a trip to South Korea this January and wondering about the expected weather conditions? Find all the crucial information you need right here, addressing your question:

What is the weather like in South Korea in January?

January in South Korea generally has temperatures that range from very cold to cold, with precipitation levels ranging from low to moderate. It's the height of winter.

Temperatures

Based on our climate data spanning from 1990-2020, the average maximum temperature is very cold in Pyeongchang at 1°C to cold in Seogwipo at 9°C. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 4°C in Seogwipo and -10°C in Pyeongchang . In general, this month stands out as the coldest period throughout the year. Given the lower temperatures, it's essential to be well-prepared. Packing the right winter clothing and necessary accessories can make a significant difference in ensuring your comfort and well-being during this chilly season.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of South Korea, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From low snow/rainfall in Ganghwa with an average of 19 mm to moderate snow/rainfall in Jeju with 81 mm. Based on climate data from the last 30 years, Seoul typically sees the least rain in this month, making it the driest month of the year.

Average sunshine

The city Seoul usually sees around 171 hours of sunlight, indicating a moderately sunny period.

For an in-depth overview of the yearly conditions, do visit our South Korea climate page.

Where to go in South Korea in January

Find more information for the most popular destinations in the South Korea on the map below. Click on a destination dot for more details.

Weather conditions Weather
Temperatures
Precipitation
Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.
Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor
Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

Select a Month of Interest

Check the conditions for any month of the year.

For a detailed overview over the year and the best time to visit South Korea, check out our South Korea's climate page.

Popular destinations

What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in South Korea?

Seoul

In January Seoul generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Seoul
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snow/rainfall precipitationSnow/rainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
18°C 
8°C 
2,148 hours 
1236 mm 
107 days 
pleasant 
January January
3°C 
-7°C 
171 hours 
21 mm 
7 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
6°C 
-5°C 
172 hours 
30 mm 
6 days 
unpleasant 
Climate in Seoul

Busan

In January Busan generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Busan
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
19°C 
12°C 
2,361 hours 
1367 mm 
106 days 
pleasant 
January January
9°C 
1°C 
204 hours 
37 mm 
6 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
10°C 
2°C 
188 hours 
53 mm 
7 days 
poor 
Climate in Busan

Jeju

In January Jeju generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Jeju
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
19°C 
14°C 
1,846 hours 
1452 mm 
139 days 
pleasant 
January January
9°C 
5°C 
69 hours 
81 mm 
13 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
10°C 
5°C 
105 hours 
77 mm 
12 days 
poor 
Climate in Jeju

Seogwipo

In January Seogwipo generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Seogwipo
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
20°C 
13°C 
2,057 hours 
1619 mm 
135 days 
perfect 
January January
9°C 
4°C 
152 hours 
64 mm 
12 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
10°C 
4°C 
154 hours 
72 mm 
11 days 
poor 
Climate in Seogwipo

Incheon

In January Incheon generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -5°C and low monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Incheon
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snow/rainfall precipitationSnow/rainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
<<   Annual Annual
<<  
17°C 
9°C 
2,397 hours 
1208 mm 
104 days 
tolerable 
January January
3°C 
-5°C 
188 hours 
22 mm 
7 days 
poor 
February   >> February
>>  
5°C 
-3°C 
189 hours 
30 mm 
6 days 
poor 
Climate in Incheon

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in South Korea.

Is January the best time to visit South Korea?

In our view, January might not be the best time to travel to South Korea with often poor weather in Seoul.

Generally speaking, May and October provide perfect weather in Seoul. On the other hand, the weather in January, July, August and December tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in South Korea.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to South Korea? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in South Korea.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.