'Like a giant boiling cauldron': How Korea's hottest city is coping with unbearable heat wave

A vendor drinks cold water at Yangsan Nambu Market in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, when the city's daytime high reached 42.5 degrees Celsius, Sunday. Yonhap

YANGSAN, South Gyeongsang Province — The streets of Yangsan, where Korea recorded its highest temperature ever at 42.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, were nearly deserted except for delivery riders rushing between orders.

Outside a restaurant in Jungbu-dong, a delivery rider in his 40s repeatedly shifted his feet while waiting to pick up food, unable to bear the heat radiating from the sun-scorched asphalt. As the heat wave drove a surge in food delivery orders, he was fully equipped with cooling arm sleeves, a cooling vest and a neck cooler, but sweat still poured down his face.

Removing his helmet to wipe away sweat, he said, "It's so hot that I can't even stand still outside. The whole city feels like a giant boiling cauldron."

A vendor drinks iced water at Yangsan Nambu Market in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, when the city's daytime high reached 42.5 degrees Celsius, Sunday. Yonhap

Yangsan has been gripped by an unprecedented heat wave after shattering the nation's all-time temperature record.

The city has been under the highest-level heat wave warning for nine consecutive days since July 25. Temperatures have exceeded 40 C for five straight days since Wednesday, peaking at 42.5 C at 1:26 p.m. Sunday, the highest temperature ever officially recorded in Korea.

The normally bustling Yangsan Youth Street and the Mulgeum New Town area were eerily quiet. The city appeared almost frozen by the extreme heat, with few pedestrians even during lunchtime. Those who ventured outside hurried along while covering themselves from head to toe with parasols, hats, sunglasses and cooling sleeves.

Unmanned ice cream shops and claw machine arcades became makeshift refuges where residents briefly escaped the heat.

"I only stepped out of my house for a moment, but I'm already drenched in sweat," one resident said. "Whenever I see an unmanned shop, I stop by because I can enjoy the air conditioning without worrying about bothering anyone."

The Yangsan Nambu Market in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, is deserted on Sunday, the day when the temperature reached 42.5 degrees Celsius, marking the highest temperature ever officially recorded in Korea. Korea Times photo by Park Eun-kyung

Outdoor traditional markets were hit especially hard.

At Nambu Market, the city's commercial hub, customer traffic all but disappeared. Cooling fog systems installed every 5 meters continuously sprayed fine mist, but they offered little relief against temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.

A vegetable vendor sighed while sorting through wilted produce.

"I picked this lettuce fresh from the field this morning, but after just a few hours, it's already gone limp and I can't even sell it," the merchant said.

Street vendors without proper fans faced even harsher conditions, enduring the blazing sun with little protection.

"When it gets too hot, I go into the Hanaro Mart inside the market for a while to cool down before coming back," said a street vendor in his 70s with an embarrassed smile.

Valley resort also suffers as drought empties streams

Popular outdoor recreation areas also looked very different from previous summers.

Hwangsan Park, which features camping facilities and water attractions and is usually packed with families on summer weekends, was relatively quiet. Most parking spaces were empty, and few people could be seen walking along its trails.

"Summer and winter are usually our off-seasons because we're a campground, but our water park normally pushes summer reservations to about 50 percent," a park official said. "This year they're only around 30 to 40 percent. I think people simply don't want to go outside because it's too hot."

Hwangsan Park Campground in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, is sparsely occupied on Sunday, when the daytime high soared to 42.5 degrees Celsius. Korea Times photo by Park Eun-kyung

The situation was no better at Baenaegol Valley in Wondong-myeon, one of Yangsan's best-known summer destinations.

Although it was peak vacation season, restaurants and wooden platforms along the valley were largely empty. A severe drought left the streambed exposed after the region received only 40.7 millimeters of cumulative rainfall last month.

The prolonged drought, combined with the scorching heat, prompted Yangsan officials and local residents to hold a traditional rain prayer ceremony on Thursday, but rain has yet to arrive.

Kwon Ju-hee, 46, who visited from Busan with her family, expressed disappointment.

Wooden platforms outside a restaurant along Baenaegol Valley in Wondong-myeon, Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, sit empty at lunchtime on Sunday as the extreme heat keeps vacationers away. Korea Times photo by Park Eun-kyung

"We came to a nearby valley because we thought the beach would be too hot, but there's hardly any water here," she said. "Even where water has pooled, it's only knee-deep for an adult, and it's lukewarm, so soaking your feet doesn't help cool you down."

Son Hyun-sook, 54, who has operated a pension and grocery store in Baenaegol for 35 years, said the drought has become a serious threat to local businesses.

"Even though this is supposed to be a summer resort, we're facing water shortages and even restricted water supply," she said. "We depend on the summer season to make a living, but we're getting almost no reservation inquiries during what should be our busiest period. Now I'm worried about covering operating costs."

A water truck sprays the road in Nambu-dong, Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Yonahp

City steps up emergency response

As heat-related challenges continue, Yangsan City has expanded its emergency response measures.

The city has allocated 144 million won (about $104,000) from its disaster management fund to increase the number of water-spraying trucks from five to 11 and extend their operation through early next month. Although water sprayed on the scorching roads evaporates quickly, officials say it helps reduce the urban heat island effect.

The city has also expanded a public umbrella lending program by placing more than 1,000 umbrellas at 23 public facilities. Working with volunteer disaster response groups, it is distributing bottled water to vulnerable areas, including senior community centers.

"As the prolonged heat wave continues, it is important to provide prompt and practical measures that residents can actually feel," a Yangsan city official said. "We will make every effort to prevent heat-related illnesses and minimize damage by utilizing the disaster management fund."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.