Following the recent cold spell, the South Korean government will offer KRW2.4 billion (US$2.1 million) worth of subsidies and preferential loans to help farmers cope with lost crops.

The move may help 1,400 farmers in three provinces and marks the first time that the government has declared a "cold weather disaster" to facilitate recovery efforts, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said. Of the total, a little over KRW1.86 billion (US$1.7 million) will be in state support subsidies, with the rest distributed as low-interest loans.

South Korea reported around 80 days of subzero temperatures from December to March, along with heavy snowfall that reduced sunlight reaching crops.

Strong winds reaching 30 metres per second have also destroyed many greenhouses in parts of North Gyeongsang province on the east coast. The ministry said 2,464 hectares of farmland have been affected overall.