Heavy snow advisories have been issued for the Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces, putting the government into emergency mode.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Thursday that its Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters activated its level two emergency mode, the second highest in the country's three-tier disaster response system. 

The move comes as heavy snow advisories went into effect for Gwangju, South and North Jeolla provinces, Sejong City and South Chungcheong Province as of 3 a.m.

The ministry asked local governments to remove snow from the roads to prevent congestion during morning rush hours, beginning with roads around coronavirus testing sites and facilities for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms.

The ministry also called for preemptive safety measures for vulnerable social groups including elderly people living alone.