Play store
South Korea’s president has ordered an all-out national response as a record-breaking heatwave grips the country, with temperatures in Seoul forecast to reach 39°C and the death toll rising to at least 21.
“Extreme heat on a scale we have never experienced is continuing day after day. Conditions once seen only in foreign news reports have now become our reality,” President Lee Jae Myung said at a heatwave response meeting on Thursday.
The president instructed ministries and local governments to mobilize all available personnel and resources until conditions ease. He emphasized protecting lives, strengthening safeguards for vulnerable groups, and enforcing mandatory rest breaks for outdoor workers during peak heat hours.
The expected temperature in Seoul would bring the capital close to its all-time high of 39.6°C, recorded in August 2018 during the country’s last major heatwave.
The city also endured another sweltering night, with temperatures in some areas remaining above 30°C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
Scenes across the country showed residents seeking relief in air-conditioned malls, streams, and cooling facilities. In response to safety concerns, the Korea Baseball Organisation cancelled all scheduled games on Wednesday and Thursday after several spectators fainted, including one incident in Incheon.
Meteorologists say Typhoon Dolphin, although not directly threatening South Korea, may be worsening the situation. The storm has strengthened easterly winds that descend over western regions as hot, dry air, intensifying the heat in Seoul and beyond.
Authorities warn the heatwave could peak in the coming days, urging citizens to take precautions as the country faces one of its most severe extreme weather events in recent history.