Record heatwave kills 16 in South Korea

A record-breaking heatwave has gripped the Korean peninsula, with South Korea recording its highest temperature in 122 years of observations. The southeastern city of South Korea — Yangsan reached 42.5°C on August 2, breaking national records on three consecutive days. The heatwave has caused at least 16 deaths and over 2,000 heat-related illnesses since mid-May, according to the United States — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the interior ministry. The South Korea — Korea Meteorological Administration issued its first-ever 'severe heatwave warning' for South Korea — Seoul, and the government raised its heatwave response alert to the second-highest level. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook ordered ministries to mobilize all resources, and President Lee Jae Myung called for a fundamental overhaul of the national crisis system. North Korea also reported temperatures approaching 40°C and a fifth straight tropical night in North Korea — Pyongyang. The heatwave has disrupted daily life, with the Korea Baseball Organization canceling games, and has led to record electricity demand as air-conditioning use surges. Scientists link the increasing frequency and intensity of such heatwaves to human-induced climate change, with similar conditions affecting Japan and Germany.