South Korea is grappling with one of the most brutal summer heatwaves in its recorded history, with the country’s interior ministry confirming Tuesday that the extreme high temperatures have claimed 16 lives since the start of the hot season.
According to official government data, from May 20 through August 2, more than 2,000 people across the nation were treated for heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke and severe dehydration, with the 16 fatalities accounting for the most heat-related deaths in South Korea in several years. The crisis has accelerated over the past seven days, as the country toppled its all-time national heat record three times in quick succession. The latest and still-standing high temperature mark was hit on Sunday in Yangsan, a southeastern city, where the thermometer climbed to 42.5 degrees Celsius.
On Tuesday, the entire capital city of Seoul was placed under the country’s highest tier of heat emergency, a severe heatwave warning. Forecasters warned that temperatures would again surge near the 40-degree Celsius mark across the Seoul metropolitan area, calling the ongoing conditions a life-threatening event for vulnerable populations including the elderly, unhoused people, and outdoor workers. Photographs from Seoul’s streets showed even police officers relying on umbrellas to block the relentless sun as they carried out their duties. The South Korea Meteorological Administration extended its extreme heat advisory for most of the country through mid-week, urging residents to stay hydrated, avoid unnecessary outdoor activity, and check on at-risk neighbors.