President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday he will be on "emergency standby" as powerful Typhoon Hinnamnor approached the nation with strong winds and heavy rains already knocking southern regions.

"The government will not lower its guard, and do its best for the lives and safety of the people," Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work.

Wearing a green civil defense uniform, Yoon said, "Today, I think that I will be on emergency standby."

Yoon said the typhoon is expected to "strongly hit" the southern island of Jeju and other southern regions Monday evening.

Yoon instructed relevant authorities to "take actions first and report later" to minimize damage.

In what could be the most powerful storm ever to hit the country, Typhoon Hinnamnor has gradually moved northward to reach waters off Jeju island.

As of 5 a.m., the typhoon, the 11th this year, had been 550 kilometers south-southwest of Jeju's Seogwipo, moving north at a speed of 22 kilometers per hour, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. (Yonhap)