South Korea issues inaugural emergency heatwave alert under new system

South Korea’s Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued the nation’s first emergency heatwave warning on 12 July for the cities of Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province. The new tier is triggered when perceived temperatures reach 38 °C (or actual temperatures 39 °C) for at least one day, signalling a heightened risk of heat‑related illness or death. Officials ordered an immediate halt to outdoor work and sports, urged people not to leave children, pets or anyone in vehicles, and recommended seeking cool indoor environments.

The warning follows a sharp rise in heatwave frequency, with the annual average of heatwave days climbing from eight in the 1970s to 19 in the past five years. Local governments in North Gyeongsang and other regions activated emergency response measures: deployment of water‑spray trucks, extended operation of cooling shelters, suspension of outdoor labour, and intensified public alerts via text messages and village broadcasts. The extreme heat has already produced a surge in heat‑related illnesses, with temperatures soaring to 39.9 °C in some areas, multiple cases of heatstroke and two reported deaths.

Meteorologists attribute the blistering conditions to a “dual high‑pressure blanket” – overlapping Pacific and Tibetan high‑pressure systems – that suppress cloud formation and amplify surface heating. The event is part of a broader East Asian heatwave that has also set temperature records across Europe and North America.