Heat haze is seen on a road in Ulsan on July 23.YONHAP
The emergency warning for a heat wave was expanded across southern Korea on Sunday as temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) were expected to pose "life-threatening" risks.
The state-run Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) expanded its highest heat alert in the three-tier system to eight additional areas in the Gyeongsang region as of 11 a.m.
The warning now covers Daegu except for Gunwi County, and extends to North Gyeongsang’s Gyeongsan and Cheongdo County, the cities of Gimhae and Miryang and the counties of Haman, Changnyeong and central Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang.
The top-tier alert remained in effect for North Gyeongsang’s Goryeong County, the cities of Pohang and Gyeongju, South Gyeongsang’s Uiryeong County and Yangsan and Gwangyang in South Jeolla.
"With temperatures expected to rise above 39 degrees Celsius, life-threatening extreme heat is anticipated," a KMA official said. "People should consider immediately suspending or postponing all outdoor activities and work except essential tasks, move to a cool place as soon as possible, stay hydrated and get rest."
The top-tier alert, introduced for the first time this year, is activated when the daytime high is forecast to reach at least 39 degrees Celsius or when the maximum apparent temperature is expected to stay at or above 38 degrees Celsius for at least one day.
People take rest on a beach in Busan as the summer heat persists through night hours on July 25.YONHAP
"Extreme heat is expected across southeastern South Jeolla and the Gyeongsang region, where the top-tier heat alert has been issued," the weather agency said. “Most other parts of the country will also experience severe heat.”
Daytime highs were forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius across parts of the country's southern region, including Goryeong and Gyeongsan in North Gyeongsang and Uiryeong in South Gyeongsang. Some areas could see temperatures rise above 39 degrees Celsius.
The greater Seoul area and other central regions were also expected to endure sweltering conditions because of high humidity. Seoul's daytime high was forecast to reach 33 degrees Celsius, with the apparent temperature expected to climb to 35 degrees Celsius.
A bear plays with an icy snack in a pool at its enclosure in Daegu on July 21.NEWS1
No monsoon rain was expected as the seasonal rain front has moved northward. However, atmospheric instability could trigger scattered showers across parts of the central region.
With the monsoon season effectively over, intense heat nearing 40 degrees Celsius is expected to persist for the time being. Tropical nights are also likely to continue in many areas, as overnight lows remain above 25 degrees Celsius.
"Keep indoor temperatures cool by using air conditioners or fans," the KMA official said. "If a person does not recover sufficiently overnight, the risk of heat-related illness will increase, so it is best to scale back outdoor activities the following day.”
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.
