Lead

South Korea is enduring one of its most severe heat waves on record, with temperatures topping 40°C in the capital and other parts of the country on Friday, according to the state weather agency. The mercury reached 40.2°C at an automatic weather station in Seoul's northern ward of Nowon at 3:28 p.m., marking the first time the temperature exceeded 40°C in the capital since Aug. 1, 2018, when it recorded 41.8°C.

The extreme heat has also been felt across the nation, with Hanam's Deokpung district, just southeast of Seoul, hitting 40.7°C at 2:32 p.m., and Gwangyang, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul, reaching 40.2°C at 2:37 p.m., as reported by Yonhap News Agency. Temperatures rose to 39.8°C in the Gangwon Province county of Yeongweol and in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from Yonhap News Agency and Dawn provide a comprehensive picture of the heat wave's impact. Yonhap, South Korea's leading wire service, focused on temperature records and the meteorological causes, while Dawn, a Pakistani English-language daily, highlighted the historical significance and the health emergencies triggered by the heat.

Dawn reported that South Korea registered its highest temperature since records began more than a century ago, with the southeastern city of Yangsan reaching 42.5°C on Sunday, the highest recorded since modern weather observations began in 1904. Yonhap also noted that Yangsan had been the epicenter of the heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C for a fifth consecutive day on Sunday.

Both outlets noted that severe heat wave warnings remained in effect across most of the country. Yonhap detailed that one of the criteria for the warning was a high of at least 38°C in perceived temperature for more than a day, while Dawn mentioned that more than 20 localities were under emergency heat wave alerts, a new warning category introduced this year.

Key Claims

  • Record Temperatures: The temperature in Yangsan reached 42.5°C on Sunday, the highest since modern weather observations began in 1904, as reported by both Dawn and Yonhap. In Daegu, temperatures exceeded 40°C for the first time since Aug. 1, 1942, according to Yonhap.
  • Seoul's Milestone: On Friday, Seoul recorded 40.2°C in the Nowon ward, the first time the capital exceeded 40°C since 2018, as reported by Yonhap.
  • Heat Wave Days: The number of heat wave days, when daytime highs are 33°C or higher, averaged 14.8 days nationwide from June 1 to Thursday, the fourth highest for the same period since the weather observation network was expanded in 1973, according to Yonhap.
  • Tropical Nights: The number of tropical nights, when minimum temperatures stay at 25°C or above, reached a record 13 days, as reported by Yonhap.
  • July Averages: July's average temperature was the third highest on record at 26.8°C, and the number of tropical nights averaged 9.7 days nationwide, setting a new record, according to Yonhap.
  • Health Emergencies: The extreme heat has triggered health emergencies, with Yonhap reporting deaths in Incheon and South Chungcheong Province, and Dawn noting that scores of people have suffered from heat-related illnesses.

Perspectives

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) attributes the prolonged high temperatures to overlapping high-pressure systems over the peninsula combined with strong, direct sunlight under clear skies, as reported by Yonhap.

Scientists warn that extreme weather events such as heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of human-induced climate change, according to Dawn.

The KMA announced that it will replace serious heat wave warnings for Seoul and eastern and southwestern parts of the country with ordinary warnings at 6 p.m. Friday, as the heat wave is expected to ease slightly over the weekend, though sweltering conditions are forecast to persist.