People cross a road in Daegu during a heat wave warning on July 11.YONHAP
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on Sunday issued its first-ever “heat wave emergency warning,” a newly introduced top-tier alert designed to better respond to increasingly extreme summer temperatures. The warning was triggered in the cities of Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang at 10 a.m.
The top-tier alert is issued when healthy people can face serious risks of heat stroke and other life-threatening illnesses outdoors due to extreme heat.
Accordingly, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) urged residents in the cities of Gyeongsan and Pohang to immediately stop or postpone outdoor work, exercise and public events.
The heat wave emergency warning is issued when an area has already endured at least two straight days with an apparent temperature of 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher and is expected to experience an apparent temperature of at least 38 degrees Celsius for a day or a daytime high of 39 degrees Celsius or above.
Starting June 1, the weather agency introduced the new highest tier in its heat wave warning system to alert the public about exceptionally dangerous heat that the existing system could not adequately convey. It marked the first overhaul of Korea's heat alert system in 18 years.
Temperatures surged across both cities over the weekend. Hayang-eup in Gyeongsan recorded a daily high of 39.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while Gigye-myeon in Pohang reached 37.2 degrees Celsius. Both areas were expected to see temperatures rise to nearly 39 degrees Celsius on Sunday.
Two people cool off in a waterfall in a valley in North Gyeongsang on July 11.YONHAP
The state weather agency attributed the intense heat to overlapping North Pacific and Tibetan high-pressure systems blanketing the Korean Peninsula. The heat has been further intensified by a foehn effect, in which hot southerly winds become even warmer after crossing mountain ranges.
Heat waves have become both more frequent and more intense in recent decades. Over the past five years, Korea has experienced heat waves on an average of 19 days a year, more than double the eight-day average recorded in the 1970s.
While this is the first year the high-level alert has been part of the heat wave warning system, the KMA estimated that if it had been in effect in prior years, the emergency warning would have been issued in Gyeongsan for an average of 3.1 days per year based on weather data from 2016 through last year. That would have been the most frequent among districts nationwide.
Layered high pressure systems over KoreaKOREA METEOROLOGICAL ADMINISTRATION
Extreme heat not only causes heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion but also worsens underlying cardiovascular, respiratory and kidney diseases, all of which can increase the risks of hospitalization and death.
At the highest warning level, even healthy people can be at risk and should avoid strenuous outdoor work or exercise.
When the apparent temperature reached 38 degrees Celsius — the threshold for the highest-level alert — the overall mortality risk among people aged 65 and older was 19 percent higher than at the baseline temperature, according to a KDCA analysis of temperature and mortality data from 2016 to 2024. The risk of death for this group from cardiovascular disease increased 16 percent.
Among people younger than 65, the overall mortality risk increased four percent, while the risk of cardiovascular-related death rose seven percent.
Heat-related illnesses can rise sharply during prolonged periods of extreme temperatures. As of Friday, 535 people had been treated for heat-related illnesses at about 520 emergency rooms nationwide this year, with two suspected deaths reported.
A truck sprays water to cool down temperatures in Pohang in North Gyeongsang on July 12.NEWS1
Last year, Korea recorded 4,460 heat-related illness cases and 29 suspected deaths. Of them, 1,341 cases and 10 deaths were recorded during a 12-day period from July 20 to July 31, accounting for roughly 30 and 35 percent of the totals for the full year, respectively.
When the highest-level alert is issued, authorities advise people to follow the “stop, move and rest” principle. People should immediately stop outdoor work and activities, move to an air-conditioned building, cooling shelter or shaded area, and rest while drinking water. They should stay hydrated even if they do not feel thirsty, although people with kidney disease should consult their doctors about fluid intake.
Anyone experiencing headaches, dizziness, nausea or muscle cramps should stop all activity and cool down immediately. If signs of heat stroke appear — including confusion or hot, dry skin without sweating — people should call emergency services without delay.
The KDCA also urged the public to regularly check on older adults living alone, people with disabilities, pregnant women, children and those with underlying health conditions.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
