South Korea: State of Emergency Declared Amid Extreme Heatwave in Seoul
Authorities in the South Korean capital have deployed a fleet of 200 trucks to cool roads across the metropolis following record-breaking temperatures. At least 16 people have died due to the intense heat.
Authorities in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in response to an "extreme heatwave" as the country grapples with record-breaking temperatures.
On Sunday, the city of Yangsan in the southeast reached a national record of 42.5 degrees Celsius—the highest temperature measured in 122 years of weather observations. The heat is now moving west toward the densely populated capital, home to over 9 million residents. Temperatures are expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, followed by three scorching days at 37 degrees Celsius.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, South Korea has recorded 16 heat-related deaths and over 2,000 cases of heat-related illness since May. During a cabinet meeting this morning, President Lee Jae-myung urged officials to take necessary measures to protect public safety and monitor electrical grids as demand for air conditioning surges.
"We need to make efforts to fundamentally overhaul the national crisis system, as this extreme weather is becoming the norm," he stated.
Seoul authorities held an emergency meeting on Monday to launch initiatives aimed at mitigating health risks. This marks the first time the capital has issued a severe heatwave warning under a new system established this year. Nurses are conducting check-ups on up to 63,000 vulnerable residents, including the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. To curb urban heat, a fleet of 200 trucks is spraying water across nearly 2,000 km of roads, operating up to six times daily in the most affected areas.
Outdoor workers are bearing the brunt of the oppressive heat. A construction worker in Seoul, identified by the "Korea Times" only as Kim, noted:
"We take a 10-minute break every hour, but there isn't even a fan here, so all we can do is sit in the shade. I am sweating so much that my clothes are rubbing against my skin wherever they touch."
Lee, 55, from Gwangmyeong, who collects shopping carts, described the conditions as brutal: "The lack of ventilation makes the experience feel like being inside a sauna." The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) attributed the heatwave to the overlap of high-pressure systems over the Korean Peninsula combined with intense, direct sunlight.
