Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Heat wave set to grip Korea this week
A child plays at fountain on Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Monday, when a heat wave advisory was issued for most parts of the country, including the capital. Korea Times photo by Kang Ye-jin
By Lee Hae-rin
Seoul has season's 1st heat wave advisory
Korea’s weather agency issued heat wave watches for much of the country this week, including Seoul, warning of scorching daytime temperatures, tropical nights and increased risk of heat-related illnesses as the nation faces its first major hot spell of the summer.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Monday that daytime highs ranged from 27 to 35 degrees Celsius across the country, with temperatures in most areas feeling like 33 degrees or higher due to humidity.
Seoul recorded its first tropical night of the year between Sunday and Monday, with temperatures dipping only to 25.6 degrees Celsius. A tropical night refers to conditions in which the lows remain above 25 degrees between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. the next day. This year’s first tropical night in the capital came eight days later than last year’s.
As of Monday, heat wave warnings were in effect for parts of North and South Jeolla provinces as well as South Gyeongsang Province, while most other regions, including Seoul, remained under heat wave advisories.
A heat wave advisory is issued when temperatures are expected to reach 33 degrees Celsius or higher for more than two days. A heat wave warning is issued when highs of 35 degrees or above persist for over two days, with the potential to cause serious health risks and disruptions across affected regions.
The KMA warned that heat wave advisories and warnings could be expanded in the coming days.
A persistent influx of hot, humid air has kept nighttime temperatures elevated, with cities such as Gangneung in Gangwon Province and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province also experiencing tropical nights on Sunday — conditions that are expected to continue for several more days.
A man under a parasol walks near a cooling fog system in Daegu, as a heat wave warning takes effect in many parts of the country, Monday. Yonhap
This widespread heat is more than a discomfort — it poses a serious public health risk that demands immediate preventive measures. The KMA advised vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children, to take extra care to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activities. Businesses and public services were urged to adapt operations to protect workers and offer cool shelters for those at risk, while extra caution is required for those working outdoors, in livestock facilities or in poorly ventilated indoor environments.
Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, Daegu and inland areas of Gyeongsang and Gangwon provinces saw scattered showers of 5 to 20 millimeters on Monday, which offered only brief respite from the heat. After the rain, humidity is expected to remain high, causing temperatures to climb again.
The KMA predicts that temperatures from July through September will likely remain above average, with a 50 percent chance of higher-than-normal readings for July and August.
Rainfall is expected to be near normal for the summer, but September could see above-average precipitation.