Heavy rainstorms are forecast for the southern part of South Korea Monday as Typhoon Goni heads toward the Korean Peninsula, weather officials said.

The typhoon, packing winds of up to 49 meters per second, is expected to reach about 430 kilometers southeast of Seogwipo, Jeju Island, by around 9 p.m. Monday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

It will then likely position itself in waters 80 kilometers southeast of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, and weaken, according to the KMA. 

Weather officials expect Goni to bring heavy rains nationwide starting Monday afternoon, first on Jeju Island and then in the southern parts of the nation by late night.

The weather agency issued a watch for heavy rains taking effect as of noon in Jeju, saying that a special typhoon alert is likely to be issued for the rest of North and South Gyeongsang Provinces and some part of Gangwon Province by Tuesday.

"Please pay attention to maintaining facilities in areas in Jeju Island, North and South Gyeongsang Provinces and as well as Gangwon Province where the course of Typhoon Goni is near," said a KMA official.

Goni has already blown though the northern Philippines, leaving at least 15 people dead and several others missing, and also battered southwestern Japanese islands. (Yonhap)