Lead

South Korea's state weather service issued its highest-level heat wave warnings for Daegu and other southeastern parts of the country over the weekend, as temperatures climbed well above 30 degrees Celsius. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the warnings took effect at 11 a.m. on Sunday for southwestern parts of Daegu, the nearby city of Gyeongsan, and the county of Cheongdo, with Pohang and Gyeongju already under the same alert earlier in the day.

By 1 p.m., temperatures had reached 38.4 degrees Celsius in Gyeongju, 35.4 in Daegu, and 32.1 in Pohang, according to Yonhap News Agency. The agency also reported that by 3:10 p.m., the maximum apparent temperatures in Gwangyang and Yangsan had risen to 38.3 degrees.

Coverage Comparison

All reporting on this story comes from Yonhap News Agency, which provided multiple dispatches covering the heat wave from July 26 and 27. The reports consistently describe the issuance of the highest-level warnings, the specific temperatures recorded, and the KMA's criteria for issuing such alerts. One dispatch focused on the Sunday warnings for Daegu and the southeast, while a second, filed Monday, expanded the scope to 17 areas across southern South Korea and added details on heat-related illnesses and livestock losses. A third report included additional details on apparent temperatures and forecasts for Monday's morning lows and daytime highs.

Key Claims

  • The highest-level heat warnings took effect for southwestern parts of Daegu, Gyeongsan, and Cheongdo at 11 a.m. on July 26, with Pohang and Gyeongju already under the warnings earlier that day, as reported by Yonhap.
  • Temperatures reached 38.4 degrees Celsius in Gyeongju, 35.4 in Daegu, and 32.1 in Pohang as of 1 p.m. on July 26, according to the same source.
  • The highest-level heat wave warning was issued for 17 areas in southern South Korea on July 27, including nine areas in South Gyeongsang Province, six in North Gyeongsang Province, and Gwangyang in South Jeolla Province, as reported by Yonhap.
  • The KMA issues a highest-level heat warning when the highest perceived temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius or higher, or the maximum daily temperature reaches 39 degrees or higher, levels considered life-threatening. This criterion was reported by Yonhap.
  • The season's first serious heat wave warning was issued in Yangsan and Uiryeong on Saturday, and on Sunday daytime temperatures in Yangsan and Miryang soared to 39.3 degrees Celsius, the highest recorded in the country so far this year, according to Yonhap.
  • Six additional heat-related cases were reported in South Gyeongsang on Saturday, bringing the province's cumulative total since May 15 to 112, as stated in the Yonhap report.
  • The total number of livestock deaths caused by the heat wave in South Gyeongsang reached 10,599, including 2,469 pigs and 8,130 poultry, according to the same report.
  • The KMA expects extreme heat to persist this week, with perceived temperatures expected to exceed 33 degrees Celsius, and urged people to take precautions, as reported by Yonhap.
The heat warning system was adopted on June 1 to alert the public to extreme heat, and the first highest-level warnings were issued for Gyeongsan and Pohang on July 12, according to Yonhap.