South Korea - The Korea Times

Lee calls for systemic flood prevention measures

President Lee Jae Myung visited the site of a deadly flood in the central city of Osong on Monday and called for systematic measures to prevent flooding ahead of the rainy season. Lee issued the directives to related agencies during his visit to Osong, located 112 kilometers south of Seoul, where 14 people lost their lives after an underground underpass was inundated during heavy rainfall on July 15, 2024. He asked regional and environmental officials about possible structural and systemic solutions to mitigate flood risks and stressed the need to distinguish responsibilities between local and central governments to ensure accountability at every level, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters. In addition to enhancing disaster response infrastructure and providing financial support, Lee also underscored the need for regular inspections to ensure such facilities function properly, Kang said. He also reviewed the ongoing investigation into the incident and reiterated the need for strict punishment in cases where poor management leads to a loss of life, she added.

Jul 14, 2025By Yonhap

Lee calls for systemic flood prevention measures

Heat wave-easing rain forecast nationwide until Tuesday

The state weather agency on Monday forecast on-and-off rainfall across the country until Tuesday night, with downpours of 30 to 50 millimeters per hour expected in some regions, including the east coast of Gangwon Province. Rain will fall in Gangwon, North Chungcheong and Gyeongsang provinces on Monday, and spread to drench most parts of the country until Tuesday afternoon, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. In particular, the central and northern parts of Gangwon's east coast should brace for heavy rain of 30 to 50 mm per hour between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, the KMA noted. It forecast a two-day precipitation of 50 to 100 mm on Ulleung Island, 20 to 60 mm in the Gyeongsang provinces, 10 to 50 mm in Seoul, and western Gangwon, Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces, and 5 to 20 mm on Jeju and Yellow Sea islands. The agency advised people to avoid going to east coast beaches until Tuesday due to strong winds of over 70 kph and high waves. The rainfall will temporarily abbreviate the prolonged heat waves nationwide, but hot and humid weather will return thereafter, t

Jul 14, 2025By Yonhap

Heat wave-easing rain forecast nationwide until Tuesday

Gov't holds interagency meeting to brace for heavy rains

The interior ministry said Sunday it has held an emergency meeting with related government agencies to discuss ways to brace for downpours as heavy rains are expected to fall in southern regions and along the east coast. Heavy rains of a maximum of more than 100-150 millimeters are expected until Monday in the country's southern areas and along the east coast of Gangwon and North Gyeongsang Province, according to the country's weather agency. At the meeting, the government decided to review emergency measures in wildfire-hit areas where the risk of landslides remains high and to evacuate nearby residents if needed. "The government will closely monitoring the weather conditions and do its best to manage the situation so as to swiftly take necessary steps," said Kim Kwang-yong, chief of the Disaster Safety Management Headquarters.

Jul 13, 2025By Yonhap

Gov't holds interagency meeting to brace for heavy rains

Presidential office to push for special law on renewable energy zones

The presidential office said Thursday it will push for a special law to establish industrial zones entirely powered by renewable energy sources, in a move aimed at addressing regional power imbalances. Presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-beom told reporters that the initiative seeks to pave the way for the creation of "RE100" industrial zones, where companies operate using 100 percent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. President Lee Jae Myung, who was briefed on the plan during a meeting with senior aides, proposed a range of incentives for companies operating in the zones, including easing regulations, improving living conditions and discounts on electricity bills, Kim said. The zones are intended to alleviate the electricity demand imbalance, as consumption remains heavily concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area while southwestern regions possess abundant renewable energy resources, Kim said. A task force comprising the ministries of industry, finance and transport will be formed to draft the special legislation and oversee the implementation of the

Jul 10, 2025By Yonhap

Presidential office to push for special law on renewable energy zones

No. of heat-related patients surges at record pace amid extreme heat wave

The number of heat-related illness cases is rising at the fastest pace on record this summer amid scorching heat, health authorities said Thursday, urging vulnerable groups to take extra precautions. A total of 1,228 patients have visited emergency rooms for heat-related conditions as of Wednesday since mid-May, when authorities launched the heat-related illness surveillance system, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marked the earliest time since the monitoring system began in 2011 that the number of cases has surpassed 1,000. Of these patients, eight have died. Compared with the same period last year, the number of patients has increased about 2.5 times, while the number of deaths nearly tripled from three. The growth in heat-related illness cases has accelerated as the nationwide average high temperature has remained above 31 degrees Celcius since late June. On Tuesday alone, 238 people visited emergency rooms due to heat-related illnesses, which was the first time since 2018 that the daily number of heat-related patients exceeded 200. "Farmers, fish

Jul 10, 2025By Yonhap

No. of heat-related patients surges at record pace amid extreme heat wave

Korea sees growing livestock losses from unprecedented heat wave

A relentless heat wave sweeping across Korea is causing unprecedented livestock losses nationwide, with authorities reporting a dramatic surge in farm animal deaths as temperatures continue to soar. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, Thursday, 160,123 farm animals died nationwide on Tuesday alone, with poultry accounting for 158,006 among them. The remaining 2,117 were pigs. Farm animals are highly sensitive to heat. Optimal temperatures range from 10 to 20 degrees Celsius for beef cattle, 5 to 20 degrees for dairy cows, 15 to 25 degrees for pigs and 16 to 24 degrees for chickens. When temperatures exceed critical thresholds — 30 degrees for cattle and chickens, 27 degrees for pigs and dairy cows — animals experience reduced feed intake, stunted growth and in severe cases, death. The scale of the crisis is staggering. From May 20 to Tuesday, 379,475 animals perished, a 7.6-fold increase compared to 49,799 recorded in the same period last year. The daily toll has nearly doubled in just 24 hours, from 81,970 animals on Monday to just over 160,000 o

Jul 10, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Korea sees growing livestock losses from unprecedented heat wave

Korea reports over 1,000 heat-related patients amid record-high temperatures

More than 1,000 cases of patients suffering heat-related illnesses have been reported to date this summer as a heat wave hit the country earlier than normal, data showed Wednesday, one day after the country saw record high temperatures in the capital, Seoul. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has identified 1,228 such patients as of Tuesday, which is well over twofold of the corresponding tally for the same period last year. The KDCA began tracking the number of heat-related patients on May 15. Of the 1,228 patients, seven people died presumably from heatstroke, compared with three deaths in 2024, the KDCA said. On Tuesday alone, 238 people visited hospital emergency rooms nationwide for heat-related symptoms as the temperature in Seoul hit 37.7 degrees Celsius, the highest ever recorded for early July in the capital since record-keeping began in 1908. The country has rarely seen the daily figure of such patients surpass the 200 mark. The KDCA said a cumulative 238 people have died of heat-related illnesses between 2011 and 2024.

Jul 9, 2025By Yonhap

Korea reports over 1,000 heat-related patients amid record-high temperatures

2 in 3 people in heat-related deaths aged over 60: KDCA

Two out of three people who died from heat-related illnesses were aged 60 or older, statistics from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) showed Wednesday. According to the KDCA, 238 people have died from heat-related illnesses since the government started monitoring such deaths in 2011. Among them, 156 people, or over 65 percent, were aged 60 years or older. By location, 32 percent of the heat-related deaths occurred on farms, while 15 percent took place in homes and approximately 14 percent near roads. This year, seven people have died from heat-related illnesses as of Tuesday, four of whom were aged 70 or older. Last Wednesday, a woman in her 80s died after she was found unconscious near a greenhouse in Jinju, 280 kilometers south of Seoul. Another woman, also in her 80s, was found dead in a rice paddy on Jeju Island, with second-degree burns on her chest and face. With temperatures expected to rise even further in the coming weeks, health authorities advised people to stay hydrated, move to cool and shady places and refrain from outdoor activities during the day. It has

Jul 9, 2025By Yonhap

2 in 3 people in heat-related deaths aged over 60: KDCA

International youth climate change conference in Korea prepares for COP30

More than 150 passionate young climate leaders from Korea and representatives from Madagascar, Brazil, Syria and Estonia gathered at Seoul National University’s Gwanak Campus for the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Korea 2025, the country’s official youth climate gathering recognized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change youth constituency, July 4. Held under the theme “Re: Climate – Rethink, Reconnect, Respond,” the conference offered a vital platform for Korean youth to reimagine climate solutions, foster stronger connections and shape practical actions for a sustainable future. Anjatiana Radoharinirina traveled from Madagascar to talk about the need to take action on climate change centered around young people. “Seventy percent of the population in Madagascar is under 35. That’s why investing in young people is not a choice, it’s a necessity,” she told The Korea Times. Radoharinirina coordinates the largest youth alliance in the country dedicated to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification. Her alliance brings together

Jul 9, 2025By Bereket Alemayehu

International youth climate change conference in Korea prepares for COP30

Heavy rain floods parts of Seoul after record heat

A sudden downpour flooded roads and disrupted public transport in parts of Seoul on Tuesday, hours after the South Korean capital recorded its hottest early July temperature in more than a century. Heavy rain swept through southwestern Seoul, briefly inundating roads near an apartment complex in Gocheok-dong, as well as around Mokdong Bridge and Yanghwa Grand Bridge in the late afternoon, according to local fire authorities. The flooding triggered severe traffic congestion during the evening rush hour. Rail service along a section of Seoul Metro Line 1 was temporarily suspended due to the weather, further complicating commuters' return home. Authorities in Yeongdeungpo and Dongjak districts issued emergency text messages to their residents, warning them to avoid walking paths near streams, valleys and other places vulnerable to flash floods. Earlier in the day, temperatures in the capital soared to 37.7 degrees Celsius at around 3 p.m., the highest recorded for early July in 117 years, according to the weather agency.

Jul 8, 2025By Yonhap

Environment & Animals