Record-breaking heatwave in South Korea leaves at least 16 dead
- South Korea has recorded its highest temperature ever, resulting in 16 fatalities and over 2,000 people treated for heat-related illnesses since May.
- Seoul issued its first-ever severe heat warning, with the capital forecast to reach 38C and other areas experiencing temperatures up to 42.5C.
- President Lee Jae Myung urged officials to protect lives and inspect the power system, acknowledging that extreme weather is becoming the norm.
- A new severe warning system, introduced on 1 June, has seen 92 per cent of the country’s land-based warning zones placed under some form of heat alert.
- Authorities are implementing measures such as sending nurses to vulnerable residents, spraying roads with water, and using drones for safety warnings, as heatwaves intensify due to climate change.
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