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(LEAD) Heat-related illness patients in late summer up threefold over past decade: data
Government data shows heat-related illness cases in South Korea have nearly tripled over the past decade, with deaths also increasing. This year alone, 21 people have died and thousands have sought emergency care amid ongoing heat waves expected to last until late August.
Lead
South Korea is grappling with an intense heat wave that has led to a sharp rise in heat-related illnesses and deaths, according to government data. As of early August, 21 people have died from heat-related conditions this year, and 2,441 patients have visited emergency rooms since mid-May, when health authorities launched their surveillance system, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Coverage Comparison
Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's leading wire service, reported on the issue in two separate articles. The first, published on August 5, focused on the immediate toll of the current heat wave, detailing the number of deaths and emergency room visits. The second, published on August 8, took a longer-term view, presenting analysis from a research institute under the interior ministry that showed a significant upward trend in heat-related illnesses and deaths over the past decade. Both articles drew on official sources, including the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and the state weather agency.
Key Claims
- Current-year toll: A total of 21 people have died from heat-related illnesses in South Korea so far this year, and 2,441 patients have visited emergency rooms for heat-related conditions since mid-May, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, as reported by Yonhap. More people died this year compared to the same period last year, with the death toll surpassing last year's total of 20.
- Case breakdown: Among the patients reported this year, heat exhaustion accounted for 61.7 percent of cases, followed by heat stroke at 16.8 percent and heat cramps at 11.5 percent, Yonhap reported.
- Long-term trend: The number of heat-related illness cases reported from "ipchu" (the traditional start of autumn, which fell on Aug. 7 this year) to the end of August nearly tripled over the past 10 years. An annual average of 215 patients were reported during 2011-2015, rising to 658 in 2016-2020 and 638 in 2021-2025, according to an analysis by a research institute under the interior ministry using KDCA data.
- Deaths on the rise: Deaths linked to heat-related illnesses also increased over the past decade, rising from an annual average of 3.3 patients in 2012-2015 to more than four patients annually from 2016 to 2025. In 2024 alone, 1,299 people suffered heat-related illnesses and 12 died during the late-summer period.
- Current outlook: Heat waves are expected to continue until late August this year, with daytime highs ranging from 31-35 C across the country. On Friday, 202 people were treated at emergency rooms nationwide, three of whom died, according to the KDCA. Under the government's monitoring system, which has been operating since May 15, 3,089 heat-related illness cases have been reported, including 26 deaths.
- Warnings: The state weather agency issued additional serious heat wave warnings for the greater Seoul area, placing 43 percent of the region under the highest alert level. Temperatures in Seoul are expected to reach up to 39 C on Thursday, according to the agency.
One of the latest fatalities was a 60-year-old man working outside on a farm in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province, on Tuesday, Yonhap reported.