A powerful typhoon is bringing heavy wind and rains to South Korea as it skirts up the coast, leaving at least four Chinese fisherman dead after their vessels slammed into rocks.

Officials say nearly 200,000 households have lost power after Typhoon Bolaven knocked over street lights, ripped away signs and toppled a church spire.

South Korea's coast guard carried out a dramatic rescue to pull at least 11 other Chinese fisherman to safety. Six others were able to swim ashore, but 12 more remained missing.

The storm is expected to make landfall later Tuesday in North Korea, which is still recovering from flooding rains that hit during the past two months.

Forecasters expect another storm, Typhoon Tembin, to affect the Korean peninsula later this week after passing by Taiwan for the second time in three days.