Every December someone on this board asks whether winter tyres are necessary. Short answer: if you drive on hills or leave the city, yes.

All-season tyres harden below 7 degrees. Seoul averages minus 3 in January and the first snow usually arrives on a workday morning when the roads have not been salted. Winter compounds stay soft and the tread pattern clears slush.

**What to buy.** For most sedans and small SUVs a mid-range Korean winter tyre (Hankook Winter i*cept, Kumho WinterCraft) costs 110,000 to 160,000 won per tyre fitted. Premium European brands add about 40 percent for a real gain only in heavy snow.

**Storage.** Most tyre shops store your summer set for 30,000 to 50,000 won a season. Ask for the storage slip and take a photo of the tread before you hand them over.

**When to switch.** Late November on, back to summer tyres in mid-March. Driving winter tyres in June wears them out twice as fast.

One more thing: swapping tyres is a good moment to check the brake pads, and a good tyre shop will show you the measurements without being asked.