Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Local gov'ts roll out measures as Korea grapples with heatwave
Pedestrians with parasols cross a sweltering crosswalk in Daegu as a heat wave continues to grip the country, Monday. Yonhap
By Jung Da-hyun
1,810 heat-related illness cases, 17 deaths reported amid record temperatures
Korea is struggling with a surge in heat-related illnesses and livestock deaths due to an unusually prolonged heat wave that has followed the end of the monsoon season.
In response, municipal administrations across the country are implementing various measures to combat the effects of the heat wave. They have allocated 15 billion won (approximately $10.9 million) to help alleviate the impact, including distributing around 80,000 heat wave prevention items to field workers, vulnerable populations, and citizens.
Korea is currently experiencing a severe heat wave and tropical nights, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius in many areas. The intense heat has resulted in considerable damage and claimed 17 lives as of Monday.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, from May 20 to Monday, there have been 1,810 reported cases of heat-related illness, which marks an increase of 35 cases compared to last year. Of these, 17 people have died, including three fatalities reported just on Monday.
Elderly people are particularly vulnerable, with 32.5 percent, or 589 cases, of heat illnesses affecting those aged 65 or older.
Among those affected, manual laborers make up the largest group at 20.2 percent, followed by individuals with unknown occupations at 18.6 percent. Unemployed individuals, excluding the homeless, account for 14.5 percent, while skilled workers in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries represent 9.7 percent.
Outdoor workplaces are the most common sites for heat-related illnesses, accounting for 28.8 percent of cases, followed by farmland which represents 16 percent and roadsides which account for 9.7 percent.
Yi Han-kyung, chief of the disaster management office at the interior ministry, leads a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on the heatwave response at the Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
The ongoing heat wave is also causing substantial property damage, particularly in the agricultural sector.
From June 11 to Monday, approximately 350,000 livestock have died, including 27,000 pigs and 327,000 poultry. Additionally, around 20,000 farmed animals have been impacted.
The Ministry of Interior and Safety has escalated its response to the ongoing heat wave by activating the first phase of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters and raising the heat wave crisis warning from "alert" to "serious" as of July 31.
Since the headquarters began operations, 4,227 personnel have been on emergency duty across 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, focusing on inspecting heat shelters and protecting vulnerable populations. Additionally, over 55,000 heat shelters are currently operating nationwide.
Anticipating the heat wave, the interior ministry allocated 15 billion won for early support measures in April, allowing local governments to prepare proactively. This funding represents a 25 percent increase from last year.
Trucks spray water on Seoul's roads to lower ground temperatures, Aug. 1. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
Nationwide response
Local governments are implementing various initiatives to tackle the heat wave.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has set up a dedicated disaster and safety headquarters to manage the heat wave.
The city government said, Tuesday, that it plans to enhance the operation of vehicles that reduce temperatures by spraying water on major roads and other areas of the capital, mitigating the urban heat island effect.
Over 220 water-spraying vehicles will be deployed across 25 districts. These vehicles will spray cool water five to six times daily between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., focusing on major roads.
Additionally, the city will maximize the operation of cooling roads during the heat wave. These systems, which use discarded underground water from subway stations, will be activated up to five times daily during special heat wave warnings. If sufficient, extra underground water will be utilized. The cooling roads can lower ground temperatures by seven to nine degrees Celsius during midsummer.
Some heat shelters in Seoul have extended their operating hours until 9 p.m. on weekdays and are also opening on weekends and holidays to accommodate more citizens during the heat wave.
The city will also intensify efforts to safeguard vulnerable older residents, conducting regular safety checks by phone and in-person visits if calls go unanswered.
Special attention is being given to the elderly residents of the capital, with increased management personnel assigned to areas with high concentrations of homeless people and low-rent housing units. These areas will see enhanced counseling services and patrols to monitor the health and safety of at-risk individuals.
Children collect water from refrigerators offering free hydration in Jung District, Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Jung District Office
The southeastern city of Daegu, famous for soaring summer temperatures, deployed 5,312 helpers to assist seniors citizens who are particularly susceptible to heat-related illnesses. The city has also expanded its cooling road system, similar to Seoul's, covering 10 sections and using 418 tons of water at a time.
In Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, drones equipped with loudspeakers are flown once or twice a week to advise outdoor workers to avoid strenuous activities and follow the three safety rules — water, shade and rest.
North Jeolla Province introduced so-called "conscientious refrigerators" in six areas with a large mobile population to offer free water to pedestrians, helping them cope with the heat.
Andong in North Gyeongsang Province provides parasol rental services near popular tourist sites like Hahoe Village and Dosan Seowon, while Guri in Gyeonggi Province has equipped government offices, including city hall, with 1,500 parasols available for public use.
The interior ministry is actively identifying and sharing effective heat wave response strategies across the nation to promote best practices.
It has also designated May 20 to Sept. 30 as the heat wave countermeasure period and is monitoring damage in real-time, including on weekends and holidays, to manage the record-breaking heat wave effectively.