Wintery conditions have forced the runways at Jeju International Airport to close temporarily on Friday.

According to airport authorities, take-offs and landings at the Jeju airport were suspended between 8:20 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. for snow removal, with the closure to continue until 3 p.m.

The closure resulted in 137 canceled flights and four delays as of 11 a.m., while five flights, including those from Gimpo International Airport, were forced to return to their respective points of departure and more expected.

With heavy snow alerts in place throughout the southernmost resort island, over 80 centimeters of snow have been accumulated in the island's mountainous regions and more than 25 centimeters along the coastal areas.

Meanwhile, authorities said the cold wave gripping the nation is likely to continue into Saturday with more snow of up to 30 centimeters in the forecast for western coastal areas and Jeju Island.