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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

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
Heavy rain floods parts of Seoul after record heat

As temperatures soar, open doors at stores fuel energy waste debate

As a relentless heat wave grips Korea, stores in the country’s busiest shopping districts are keeping their doors wide open, blasting air conditioning to draw in heat-weary passersby. The practice, locally known as “open-door cooling,” is drawing renewed scrutiny as temperatures soar and concerns mount over energy waste and environmental impact. Around 1 p.m. in Myeong-dong’s downtown shopping district, where temperatures hovered near 36 degrees Celsius, nearly every shop along a 300-meter stretch near Myeongdong Station — 50 out of 54 stores surveyed — kept their doors open, blasting out air conditioned air that spilled onto the sidewalks. “It’s too hot, let’s take a break in here,” a passerby in her 30s said to her companion, pointing at a nearby Olive Young health and beauty product chain store. “I needed a new eyeliner anyway.” Lee, 45, who runs a food shop in the district, said there is “a 100 percent difference between keeping the door open and closed.” “If we keep the doors closed, customers just don’t come in, especially in this sweltering weather.

Jul 8, 2025By Lee Hae-rin
As temperatures soar, open doors at stores fuel energy waste debate

Seoul posts record temperature of 37.7 C for early July, marking hottest day in 117 years

The temperature in Seoul soared to 37.7 degrees Celsius at around 3 p.m. Tuesday, the highest temperature ever recorded for early July in the capital since record-keeping began in 1908, the state weather agency said. The record was broken after 86 years as the previous record high for the first 10 days of July in Seoul was 36.8 degrees filed for July 9, 1939, according to the agency. This became Seoul's hottest day for early July in 117 years since temperature observations began in 1908, it noted. Besides Seoul, new high temperature records for early July were set in many other cities nationwide -- Incheon (35.6 degrees), Wonju of Gangwon Province (35.4 degrees), Suwon of Gyeonggi Province (35.7 degrees), Cheongju of North Chungcheong Province (35.7 degrees), Daejeon (36.3 degrees), Gochang of North Jeolla Province (35.8 degrees) and Busan (34.5 degrees), the weather agency said. The sweltering weather may slightly ease around Friday but will continue again later due to the influx of hot and humid air from the south, it said. The heat wave is forecast to persist until some rainfall in the

Jul 8, 2025By Yonhap
Seoul posts record temperature of 37.7 C for early July, marking hottest day in 117 years

Worried your dog has ticks? This weird smartphone trick can help you spot them

As summer brings more outdoor adventures for dogs, pet owners are on high alert for ticks — tiny but dangerous parasites capable of transmitting serious diseases. Now, a clever trick using just a smartphone filter is helping dog owners spot ticks more easily on their pets’ skin and fur. Despite using routine prevention methods like spot treatments or oral medications, dogs can still pick up ticks during walks or playtime. Early detection, especially in hard-to-see areas, is key to preventing infections. Experts say the easiest way to spot ticks or small insects in your dog’s fur is by using your phone’s magnifier app with a color inversion filter. When you shine the camera on your dog’s skin using this feature, ticks become much more visible. Ticks often hide in areas that are difficult to inspect with the naked eye, such as between the toes, under the tail, around the ears and along the belly. Most wild ticks measure just 3 to 5 millimeters and easily go unnoticed. They typically latch onto pets after clinging to grass or bushes. To activate the filter, iPhone users can open t

Jul 8, 2025By Youn Ye-jin
Worried your dog has ticks? This weird smartphone trick can help you spot them

Seoul records 9th consecutive tropical night

Seoul experienced its ninth consecutive tropical night between Monday and Tuesday, the state weather agency said, forecasting the capital's daytime high will rise up to 36 degrees Celcius. Seoul's lowest nighttime temperature was 26.9 degrees Celcius, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). A tropical night refers to a phenomenon when nighttime temperatures stay above 25 degrees Celcius from 6:01 p.m. to 9 a.m. the following day. By contrast, the east coast city of Gangneung escaped the tropical night after eight days, recording a temperature of 24.9 degrees Celcius at 3:20 a.m. Tuesday, the KMA said, adding the heat wave has slightly weakened along the east coast due to the change in wind direction. Almost all other parts of the country, including Busan, Daegu, Gwangju and Daejeon, suffered another tropical night between Monday and Tuesday, the agency noted.

Jul 8, 2025By Yonhap
Seoul records 9th consecutive tropical night
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