Dry Autumn Hurting Foliage, Harvest

As the dry autumn continues, the leaves are drying up even before showing their autumn colors and setbacks are occurring in harvesting farm products.

The Korea Meteorological Administration had predicted beautiful fall leaves this year due to a high rate of clear days and large day-night temperature differences. However, after nearly a month of no rain after Typhoon Shanshan, things have changed. The leaves in not only the suburbs but also famous mountains all over the country are drying up.

The number one place for fall leaves, Mt. Seorak, should have been in its colorful prime this week. The coloring of the leaves, which began on September 18 at the peak of Daecheongbong (1,708 meters above sea level), has now come down to 700 meters above sea level. However, the dry condition of the leaves is so serious on the Daecheongbong – Hangyeryeong ridge that hikers are turning away disappointed by the state of the leaves.

An employee of the Mt. Seorak office of the Korea National Park Service said, “With the heat continuing from late September and the dry weather, the color of the leaves is an unseemly yellow like the color of pears, and the leaves are crumbling like paper. The descent speed of the coloring had also slowed, so that the prime of the autumn leaves is expected to be from October 18 – 23.

Farm produce such as radishes and Chinese cabbage for kimchi-making and ginger and potatoes should be thriving by now, but the water shortage is delaying growth, and garlic and onions, which are now in the seeding season, are failing to sprout, causing damage in the farming industry.

gaea@donga.com