[REVISION HISTORY]

South Korea heatwave holds record 42.5 °C

Updated 15 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-03 16:27 UTC → 2026-08-04 13:47 UTC · added ~~removed~~

South Korea heatwave ~~maintains~~ holds record 42.5 °C

The heatwave that swept the Korean peninsula in early August 2026 continued to set unprecedented temperatures. On 2 August, the Korea Meteorological Administration confirmed a maximum of 42.5 °C in Yangsan, breaking the previous record of 41.4 °C recorded two days earlier. This marked the fifth consecutive day above 40 °C ~~in the region~~ and the highest temperature since systematic observations began in 1904. More than 20 cities were placed under a newly introduced emergency heat‑wave alert, prompting the government to raise the national response to the second‑highest level. Prime Minister Han Seong‑sook ordered ministries and local authorities to mobilise resources for the elderly, outdoor workers and other vulnerable ~~groups.~~ groups, expand cooling shelters, distribute water and limit outdoor work. The extreme heat caused at least 13–14 deaths and nearly 1,900 heat‑related illnesses nationwide, leading to the cancellation of professional baseball games in Changwon when temperatures reached 39.5 °C. Power utilities activated emergency measures as electricity demand surged, and both South and North Korea issued heat advisories with temperatures near 40 °C in Pyongyang. Scientists linked the event to human‑driven climate change, a returning El Niño, and persistent high‑pressure systems. A severe heat‑wave warning was issued for parts of Seoul, and similar conditions were reported in Pyongyang, with temperatures near 40 °C and comparable public‑health measures across the peninsula. Authorities continue to fund cooling equipment, drought relief and livestock support.

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