Over 200 people suffer heat strokes, Seoul raises crisis level further amid record heatwave

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Over 200 people suffer heat strokes, Seoul raises crisis level further amid record heatwave

Published: 09 Jul. 2025, 18:37

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

The temperature is displayed on an electric board on a street in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on July 8. [YONHAP]

Over 200 people were treated for heat-related diseases on Tuesday alone, pushing the cumulative total past 1,200 this summer as the country faces a surge in heat-related illnesses amid the record-breaking heat wave in Korea.

A total of 238 cases of heat-related illness were reported at 516 emergency rooms nationwide on Tuesday, including one death, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It is rare for the daily count to exceed 200, making this one of the highest single-day figures so far this year.

Since the KDCA launched its heat illness surveillance system on May 15, the number of reported cases has risen to 1,228. This is roughly 2.5 times higher than the 486 cases reported during the same period last year, between May 20 to July 8.

With Seoul's daytime high exceeding 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday — the highest recorded in early July since meteorological records began in 1907 — the city government convened an emergency heat wave response meeting at city hall in central Seoul, on Wednesday. All 12 directors of major departments, including three deputy mayors and the head of disaster safety, were in attendance.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, currently on an overseas trip, instructed the attendees by phone to “activate extraordinary heat wave measures with citizens’ safety as the top priority.”

An electric board over a road in Yeouido, western Seoul, displays a heat advisory warning on July 7. [KIM KYUNG-ROK]

Seoul’s emergency heat wave response meeting

In response to the record number of heat-related illnesses, Seoul has raised its crisis alert level from “caution” to “alert” and escalated the response level of the Integrated Heatwave Support Situation Room from phase 1 to phase 2.

Heat-related illnesses are acute conditions that occur when a person is exposed to high temperatures for an extended period. The most common forms are heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Key symptoms include headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, fatigue and altered consciousness. Without prompt and proper treatment, these conditions can be life-threatening.

OIder adults are particularly vulnerable during heat waves, as they often have reduced thermoregulatory capacity and are more likely to suffer from chronic illness, necessitating extra caution.

A worker moves supplies near a construction site in Daegu on July 9, as record-breaking heatwaves swept the country. [YONHAP]

To prevent further casualties, Seoul is activating an emergency response system across firefighting, medical and relief sectors. It is deploying 161 special 119 heat wave rescue units and 119 “pumbulances” — a portmanteau of “pump” and “ambulance” referring to hybrid firefighting and ambulance vehicles — to transport heatstroke patients to emergency hospitals or local public health centers.

When heat wave patients occur, pumbulances will transport patients to approximately 70 emergency medical institutions or local health centers.

Approximately 39,000 elderly citizens classified as vulnerable will receive regular welfare checks via phone or home visits. Authorities will also inspect 3,751 cooling shelters to ensure air conditioning systems are functioning properly.

Seoul Metropolitan Government officials attend an emergency heatwave response situation review meeting at City Hall in Jung District, central Seoul, on July 9. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Around 3,100 older waste collectors will receive heat wave supplies such as cooling sleeves and towels. Seoul will also install a refrigerated water dispenser at Tapgol Park in Jongno District, central Seoul, and provide 1,000 bottles of cold Arisu water every day.

To prevent harm to homeless people, 52 emergency relief teams composed of 123 personnel will patrol areas with high concentrations of people without housing, like Seoul Station, at least four times a day.

Seven cooling shelters and six night shelters for residents in makeshift housing will remain open through September. The city will also provide up to 300,000 won ($218) in utility support for communal air conditioning costs and conduct night patrols to monitor the health of 200 disabled individuals living alone.

Additionally, 389 households classified as low-income or living in substandard housing have already received emergency cooling supplies such as fans and cooling mats. In July and August, the city will distribute 50,000 won in electricity subsidies per household to about 389,000 households receiving basic livelihood assistance.

Emergency responders care for an older adult who collapsed near Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul, during the record-breaking heatwave on July 9. [YONHAP]

Protection for construction workers, on-site inspections

To protect construction workers at risk of heat-related illnesses, Seoul will distribute the “Five Basic Rules for Heat Illness Prevention” to all city-led and affiliated construction sites. The rules cover hydration, access to shade and airflow, rest, cold storage and emergency response.

Throughout July and August, Seoul’s Serious Accident Monitoring Team will inspect around 300 public and private construction sites to ensure adherence to these rules.

Citizens rest under sprinklers at a park in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul on July 9. [NEWS1]

Violations of industrial safety laws at private sites will be reported to the Ministry of Employment and Labor for administrative action, including potential work stoppages. Multilingual materials and banners will also be distributed, reflecting the high proportion of foreign workers at these sites.

Seoul will also operate six public cooling shelters and six temporary shelters across the city and stock 100,000 bottles of water at 31 labor facilities.

To mitigate the urban heat island effect, the city will increase operations of water-spraying street cleaning vehicles. Previously operated three to six times per day during heat wave alerts, they will now run up to eight times daily.

An electric board over a road near Hongdae in Mapo District, western Seoul, displays the temperature on July 9. [YONHAP]

The city has allocated 1.24 billion won from its disaster management fund to 25 districts to deploy private water-spraying vehicles.

Additionally, Seoul will expand its “cooling road” system — devices that spray water onto streets to reduce surface temperatures — beyond the existing 3.5 kilometers (2.17 miles) across 13 locations to include areas from Gwanghwamun to Cheonggye Plaza and from City Hall Station to Sungnyemun.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY MOON HEE-CHUL, JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]