Seoul, Feb. 7 (BNA): Heavy snow and strong winds disrupted flights at Jeju International Airport, the main gateway to Jeju Island, on Friday, leading to significant flight cancellations, according to South Korean authorities.

Yonhap News Agency reported that as of 3 p.m. local time, 102 domestic departures, 121 domestic arrivals, and 16 international flights scheduled for takeoff or landing at Jeju International Airport had been canceled. Additionally, 25 domestic arrivals, 21 domestic departures, and one international flight were delayed, leaving around 15,000 travelers stranded on the island.

Korean Air canceled all flights departing from Jeju from 10 a.m. due to adverse weather conditions. Officials noted that strong wind and wind shear advisories had been issued for the airport, with occasional snowstorms further disrupting operations.

Authorities also announced plans to deploy thermal imaging cameras and radar systems at all domestic airports to prevent bird strikes, following a fatal Jeju Air crash in December last year.

M.A.