Overview
- The Korea Meteorological Administration recorded 42.5°C in Yangsan on Sunday, Aug. 2, the highest temperature in its long-term station records and the fifth consecutive day the city exceeded 40°C.
- The national government activated a Level 2 disaster response, issued emergency heatwave alerts in more than 20 localities, and ordered ministries to bolster protections for vulnerable people and maintain power and water supplies.
- Health authorities reported 1,781 heat-related treatments and 13 suspected heat-linked deaths for May 15–July 31, and warned caseloads could rise as extreme heat continues.
- Officials and organizations have canceled public events, including professional baseball games, while residents seek air-conditioned spaces and local services deploy cooling measures to reduce exposure.
- The KMA says trapped heat is driven by overlapping high-pressure systems and longer-term trends show heatwave days have roughly doubled over recent decades, with forecasters warning Typhoon Dolphin could either draw in humid heat or bring clouds and rain that temporarily lower temperatures.