Climate zones in South Korea, 1991 to 2020
Share of South Korea's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 140,732 map cells used cover 99% of the country's outline (about 97,265 km²).
By major group: D (cold (continental)) 71%, C (temperate) 29%.
Dwa, hot-summer continental with dry winter, is the main climate of South Korea, covering 59% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Cfa (humid subtropical) next at 15%. In plain terms, hot-summer continental with dry winter means hot, wet summers and cold, dry winters. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 46% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Cwa (humid subtropical with dry winter). The most common zone would then be Cwa (humid subtropical with dry winter).
How South Korea's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 49% | 14% | Dwa +23.9 percentage points | Dfa -34.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 32% | 23% | Cwa +19 percentage points | Dwa -18.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 46% | 38% | Cwa +32.4 percentage points | Dwa -30.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 67% | 60% | Cwa +51.5 percentage points | Dwa -50.1 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | 35% | 59% | 40% | 28% | 8.8% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | 11% | 15% | 19% | 20% | 23% |
| Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | 3.7% | 14% | 33% | 47% | 66% |
| Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | 40% | 5.7% | 5.9% | 4.5% | 2.4% |
| Dwb Warm-summer continental with dry winter | 2.5% | 4.3% | 0.6% | 0.2% | - |
| Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | 7.4% | 1.9% | 0.5% | 0.1% | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in South Korea and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Busan | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Incheon | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Daegu | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Daejeon | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Gwangju | Cfa Humid subtropical | Cfa Humid subtropical |
| Suwon | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Ulsan | Cfa Humid subtropical | Cfa Humid subtropical |
| Goyang-si | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter |
| Changwon | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Seongnam-si | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter |
| Cheongju-si | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Bucheon-si | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Cheonan | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Hwaseong-si | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Jeonju | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Ansan-si | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Anyang-si | Dwa Hot-summer continental with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
Zones found in South Korea
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Dfa. See data sources and licences.