There's only one place to start this lunchtime and that's Typhoon Soulik.<br />It's well over 300 kilometers in radius, and within it, wind speeds are clocking in at over one-hundred forty kilometers an hour.... so this really is a beast of a storm for this part of the world.... and it's set for a direct hit on South Korea.<br />Our Choi Si-young is in Mokpo,... one of the cities that's in the typhoon's path.<br />Si-young, we've been connecting with you all morning,... and it's clear the wind and rain is getting more and more intense down there...<br /><br /> That's right, Jiyoon. <br />As we speak, the eye of Typhoon Soulik is in waters off the southern coast of Korea, but the typhoon's strength is becoming more and more visible here.<br />You can feel the wind and rain getting stronger by the minute.<br />Local residents say they have tied their boats to the dock for the incoming typhoon.<br /><br /> On Wednesday, two tourists on Jeju Island -- a man and a woman -- were swept away by a storm surge caused by the typhoon's winds. <br />The man managed to swim back safely, but the woman is still unaccounted for.<br /><br /> On the same day, according to the Jeju unit of the Korea Electric Power Corporation, the power went out in more than 15-hundred households.<br />Traffic lights on the island also stopped working, and some sea walls have also been damaged by high waves.<br /> And Siyoung, could you give us more updates on ship and flight services?<br /><br /> " Yes, Jiyoon. <br />We have many ferries and flights suspended temporarily for the typhoon.<br />And in the affected regions, schools have also been shut down" <br /><br /> All ferries out of Jeollanam-do Province are suspended,... and flights from Jeju International Airport are still suspended as of now.<br />Since about 5 p.m. Wednesday, all flights have been cancelled at the airport. <br />About a total of 600 flights have been cancelled.<br />Also, all ferries out of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province to Ulleungdo Island are also suspended <br /><br /> In Jeollanam-do Province, every school in the region from kindergarten to high school --- roughly fourteen hundred schools --- have been closed for the day due to the typhoon.<br />Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has also announced that kindergartens, elementary schools, and middle schools will be shut on Friday.<br /> The education ministry on Wednesday said close to fifteen hundred schools are shutting down on Thursday.<br /><br /> The typhoon is expected to hit Chungcheongnam-do Province at midnight, and reach Seoul by Friday morning.<br /><br />I will keep you posted throughout the day. Back to you, Jiyoon. <br />
