People wait for a rain shower to pass at Seoul Forest, in central Seoul, on June 6, 2023. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of voices are urging the government to eliminate mistrust in weather forecasts due to their increasing importance in the face of abnormal weather patterns.
According to a report submitted by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) to Rep. Lee Ju-hwan of the People Power Party, there were 425 complaints related to weather forecasts between 2019 and July of the current year, submitted to the Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commission.
Of these complaints, 44 percent expressed frustration with inaccurate forecasts and demanded improved accuracy.
Broken down by year, there were 86 complaints in 2019, 111 in 2020, 60 in 2021, 82 in 2022 and 86 up to July this year.
Notably, the number of complaints surged in 2020 and this year, both of which experienced record-breaking monsoon showers during the summer season.
As per the report, the accuracy of the KMA’s short-term forecasts remained relatively stable, achieving 92.7 percent in 2019, 91.4 percent in 2020, 90.9 percent in 2021, and 92.4 percent in 2022.
However, the report from the National Assembly Budget Office indicated a decline in public satisfaction with KMA’s short-term forecasts, mid-term forecasts, and special weather reports between 2021 and the preceding year.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
