By Soh Ji-young
Staff Reporter

SEOUL?he recent snowfall, the heaviest in two decades, also left behind the biggest amount of property damage ever inflicted.

The overall price tag for the damages add up to a total of 363.l billion won, the National Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters (NDPCH) said yesterday.

Property damages were especially severe for local farms, with the damage to greenhouses amounting to 2,595 hectares across the country, according to figures of the Ministry of Agriculture-Forestry.

In particular, 97 percent, or 496, of the total 5l0 hectares of greenhouses currently in use were destroyed by the snow, a factor which is cited to delay the distribution of various fruits and vegetables.

A total of l,476 hectares of ginseng and 26.7 hectares of mushroom crops were destroyed, while l.6 million farm animals were killed due to the recent snowfall.

As the amount of damage is continuing to increase, the government decided to provide state support to those that experienced losses in property from the snow.

"We will conduct an on-sight investigation until Jan l6. To inquire into the size of the damage inflicted by the snow and then provide financial backing accordingly," said Park Hon, an NDPCH official.

Meanwhile, more snow is expected today as a snow front passes over the Korean peninsula, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.

About l-5 cm of snow will fall in Seoul, Kyonggi and other central parts of the country from dawn and then stop in the morning, according to the weathermen.