South Korea declares heatwave a national disaster as deaths reach 19
South Korea is experiencing a record heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 42.5 °C in Yangsan – the highest in 122 years of observations. The Korea Meteorological Administration issued the nation’s first heat‑wave warning for parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi, later extending it to the entire capital.
President Lee Jae Myung classified the event a national disaster, ordering authorities to boost support for vulnerable residents, inspect power‑grid capacity, and expand cooling shelters. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 19 heat‑related deaths, 13 of them over 80 years old, and more than 2,000 illnesses since mid‑May.
Emergency measures include temporary air‑conditioned housing, water‑spraying on roads, and the cancellation of two baseball games. Officials warned that extreme heat is likely to persist, highlighting broader climate‑change concerns.
Entities: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency · Korea Meteorological Administration · Lee Jae Myung · Lee Jae‑myung · Seoul · Yangsan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Korea Meteorological Administration issued its first‑ever heatwave warning for parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi, later extending it to all of Seoul. (Korea Meteorological Administration)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Two baseball games scheduled in Seoul and Gwangju were cancelled because of the extreme heat. (Korea Baseball Organization)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Since May 15, 2,025 people have suffered heat‑related illnesses nationwide. (Korea Meteorological Administration data)
- [DISPUTED] Yangsan recorded a temperature of 42.5 °C, the highest in 122 years of observations. (Korea Meteorological Administration)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The government provided temporary air‑conditioned housing for some residents affected by the heat. (South Korean authorities)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The heatwave caused 19 deaths in South Korea. (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)
- [● 3 SOURCES] President Lee Jae‑Myung called the heatwave a national disaster. (South Korean President Lee Jae‑Myung)
- [● 3 SOURCES] 13 of the 19 deaths were people aged 80 or above. (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)