Key facts
- Temperatures exceeded 40 C in Seoul, Hanam, and Gwangyang.
- South Korea is experiencing continued heat with highs up to 37 C.
- Eastern regions are forecast to receive heavy rain.
- Heat-related illness cases in late summer have nearly tripled over the past decade.
- Deaths from heat-related illnesses have also increased over the same period.
South Korea is currently experiencing an extreme heat wave, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in Seoul and two other cities. The heat is expected to persist, with daytime highs forecast between 31-35 C until late August. Concurrently, eastern regions of the country are anticipating heavy rainfall.
Data released on Saturday reveals a significant increase in heat-related illnesses during the late summer period over the past decade. An annual average of 215 heat-related patients were reported between 2011-2015. This figure rose to an average of 658 cases in 2016-2020 and 638 cases in 2021-2025. Deaths linked to heat-related illnesses also saw an increase, rising from an annual average of 3.3 patients in 2012-2015 to over four patients annually from 2016 to 2025. In 2024 alone, 1,299 individuals suffered from heat-related illnesses, and 12 died during the period from 'ipchu' to late August.