South Korea weather in January

Planning a journey to South Korea this January and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

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. In January, it is winter.

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.

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. Looking at the climate data spanning the last 30 years, this month usually has the lowest rainfall in Seoul, marking it as the year's driest month. Most areas experience a moderate amount of sunshine, with approximately 171 hours of sunlight expected in Seoul. This makes it neither too gloomy nor overly bright.

For specific regional insights in South Korea for January, refer to the map provided below. For an in-depth overview of the yearly weather conditions, do visit our South Korea climate page.

Where to go in South Korea in January

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).

Popular destinations in South Korea

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

Average weather in 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

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly snow/rainfall Snow/rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

5°C 

-5°C 

163 hours 

25 mm 

7 days 

poor 

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

Average weather in 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

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly rainfall Rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

11°C 

3°C 

204 hours 

32 mm 

5 days 

unpleasant 

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

Average weather in 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

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly rainfall Rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

12°C 

7°C 

83 hours 

75 mm 

11 days 

unpleasant 

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

Average weather in 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

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly rainfall Rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

12°C 

6°C 

162 hours 

59 mm 

11 days 

unpleasant 

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

Average weather in 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

Max temperature Max temp

Min temperature Min temp

Monthly sun hours Sun hours

Monthly snow/rainfall Snow/rainfall

Monthly rainy days Rainy days

Weather conditions Weather

<<   December December
<<  

6°C 

-3°C 

178 hours 

27 mm 

8 days 

unpleasant 

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.