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Environment & Animals

43% of greater Seoul area placed under serious heat wave warnings

The state weather agency issued additional serious heat wave warnings in the greater Seoul area Wednesday, placing 43 percent of the region under the highest alert level. The top-tier warnings took effect at 11 a.m. in southern Incheon, and nine cities and zones in Gyeonggi Province, including Gwangmyeong, Yeoncheon and Hwaseong, raising the total to 20 out of 46 land weather advisory areas in the capital region, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The alert was also issued for Cheongyang in South Chungcheong Province, marking the first time it was implemented in the central Chungcheong provinces. On Tuesday, all of Seoul was placed under the top-tier warning for the first time since its introduction to the heat wave alert system on June 1. Under KMA guidelines, a serious heat wave warning is issued when apparent temperatures are projected to hit 38 C or higher, or when daily maximums reach 39 or above, in areas where the highest perceived temperature is 35 C or higher for two or more consecutive days. Korea has been battling severe heat, with temperatures in the s

Aug 5, 2026By Yonhap
43% of greater Seoul area placed under serious heat wave warnings
Defense

Lee cites coup risk from Army elite, calls for swift integration of military academies

President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday the Army academy has been behind all military coups in South Korea, while remaining largely unaccountable, calling for the swift integration of military academies to reduce the risk of another coup. The president made the remarks while receiving policy briefings from the foreign, unification and defense ministries, as the government seeks to unify the academies of the Army, Navy and Air Force into a single institution. Lee pointed out that graduates from the Korea Military Academy had been behind all of the country's military coups, but that the academy had not been held to account so far. The president, in particular, noted the risk of another coup by Army elites, saying, "Can't they do it again in the future?" "Is it acceptable to separate military branches and nurture them separately when one branch comes to overwhelmingly dominate the military, stages a coup that shakes the country and still remains unaccountable?" he said, adding that integrating the military academies could reduce the possibility. Lee's remarks came as the defense ministry is s

Aug 5, 2026By Yonhap
Lee cites coup risk from Army elite, calls for swift integration of military academies
Defense

Marine Corps conducting probe into firearms, ammunition system following gun incident

The Marine Corps said Wednesday it is examining the overall conditions of firearms and ammunition management systems at an amphibious unit on the southeastern coast, after a fatal gun incident raised concerns over firearms being taken off base undetected. A noncommissioned officer with the 1st Marine Division was found dead on Monday with a gunshot wound at an off-base housing unit in Pohang, located about 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul. No signs of forced entry or a struggle were found at the scene, confirming the death was caused by a gunshot wound with no indications of foul play, the Marine Corps said in a statement. The Marine Corps said it is working with relevant law enforcement agencies to determine how the deceased marine could remove the weapon from the base, by reviewing the surveillance footage and access logs. "We take this incident very seriously. We will review firearms and ammunition control systems and the unit management, and take measures to prevent a recurrence," it said.

Aug 5, 2026By Yonhap
Marine Corps conducting probe into firearms, ammunition system following gun incident
Environment & Animals

This year's July temperatures 3rd highest on record

Temperatures for July this year were the third highest on record at an average of 26.8 C nationwide, the state weather agency said Wednesday. The highest on record was 27.7 C in 1994, followed by 27.1 C last year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), which tracks records using 1973 as the base year. The number of tropical nights when the lowest temperature was 25 C or above came to an average of 9.7 days nationwide, setting a new record. The previous mark had been 8.8 days in July 2024, followed by 8.5 days in July 1994, the KMA said. Also in July this year, a heat wave advisory was issued on an average of 8.9 days nationwide, as the daily maximum temperature climbed to 33 C or higher. The heat was most intense in the southeastern region, with the advisory triggered on 22 days in Daegu, 21 days in Gumi and 20 days in Miryang. By contrast, the central region saw far fewer days under heat wave advisories, with only two in Seoul. Nationwide precipitation only came to 220.2 millimeters, or 72.3 percent of the average July rainfall of 296.5 mm, according to the KMA. Drough

Aug 5, 2026By Yonhap
This year's July temperatures 3rd highest on record
South Korea

Use fans only when temperatures stay below 40 C: WHO heat wave guidance

As Korea logged its highest temperature on record, with Yangsan in South Gyeongsang Province reaching 42.5 degrees Celsius, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued guidance to help reduce health risks during extreme heat. According to WHO on Saturday (local time), its recommendations fall into four main categories: avoiding the heat, keeping homes cool, staying cool and hydrated and protecting infants and children. To avoid heat-related illness, WHO advises people to stay indoors whenever possible. If going outside is unavoidable, remain in the shade as much as possible. Temperatures in areas direct sunlight can be 10 to 15 degrees higher than in shaded areas. Spending two to three hours a day in a cool place and regularly checking heat wave alerts are also recommended. Keeping homes cool is another key measure. During the day, blinds or curtains should be used to block direct sunlight, while windows should be opened at night once outdoor temperatures have dropped. WHO also recommends using electric fans only when the air temperature is below 40 degrees. At temperatures above 40 d

Aug 5, 2026By Hankookilbo
Use fans only when temperatures stay below 40 C: WHO heat wave guidance
Politics

DPK official warns against affair allegations over viral cheek-poking video

Lee Ji-eun, left, head of the Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) Mapo A district chapter in Seoul, pokes DPK leadership candidate Jung Chung-rae in the cheek during the party's joint campaign speech event for the Chungcheong region, Saturday. After footage of the moment went viral, Lee apologized Tuesday for the gesture but warned of legal action against those alleging that she and Jung were having an affair. Screenshot from YouTube

Aug 4, 2026By Lee Yeon-woophoto
DPK official warns against affair allegations over viral cheek-poking video
Defense

Army nearly downed military drone during flight test: lawmaker

A front-line Army unit nearly shot down a South Korean military drone during a flight test earlier this week, an opposition lawmaker said Tuesday, just days after the same unit mistook a U.S. spy drone for an enemy threat. The 1st Army Corps, based along the western front bordering North Korea, issued an air defense alert and stood ready to shoot down the drone as it flew through airspace under its jurisdiction Monday, Rep. Sung Il-jong of the main opposition People Power Party said in a press conference at the National Assembly. The drone was with the Army Test and Evaluation Group conducting a flight test. The test group had notified the 1st Corps of its plan to carry out the trial in advance, the lawmaker claimed. The incident followed a similar mishap involving the same unit and the U.S. military, in which the 1st Corps mistook a U.S. drone for a potential threat due to a communication mix-up and mobilized artillery to take it down. The commander of the 1st Corps has been relieved of duty pending a disciplinary evaluation related to the U.S. drone incident and other issues. Calling th

Aug 4, 2026By Yonhap
Army nearly downed military drone during flight test: lawmaker
Politics

PPP steps up criticism of bill on stripping prosecution of investigative powers

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday stepped up its criticism of a recently passed bill stripping the prosecution of its authority to conduct direct investigations, warning that it could weaken protection for victims. The revision to the Criminal Procedure Act was approved at a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day despite calls from the PPP for President Lee Jae Myung to veto the bill. "This is legislation that only benefits criminals, including President Lee," PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said during a forum attended by lawmakers and legal experts at the National Assembly. Rep. Jang pointed to the case of a female victim who was attacked in the southeastern port city of Busan by an assailant years ago as an example of why he opposes the bill. "What possibly shows the true nature of this bad legislation better than a citizen, who was driven to the brink of death because the nation failed to protect her, now begging it to stand on the side of the victims?" he said. The victim suffered brutal attacks in 2022 when a man followed her into her apartment building, struck her on t

Aug 4, 2026By Yonhap
PPP steps up criticism of bill on stripping prosecution of investigative powers
Society

'I wouldn't do your job': Inmates pity Korean prison officers as dire conditions test their resolve

At Cheongju Women’s Prison, silence never lasts long. A sharp beep cut through the quiet, and a two-way radio crackled to life. An urgent voice came through. “Code One in Unit 4. Backup requested.” Code One meant an altercation. The urgent call over the prison officer’s radio was immediately followed by a flurry of other transmissions. Beep. “Unit 1, inmate 6128 en route to a legal visit.” Beep. “Unit 2 returning from exercise.” The constant beeping was then joined by a new bell sound, signaling an incoming call over the intercom connecting inmates to the prison’s security office. On a call panel mounted on the office wall, a red light flashed above the button for Cell 3. An inmate’s voice came over the intercom. “Officer, I have a painful bump on my butt. Can I have some medicine?” The officer sitting behind the monitors, her hair tightly pulled back, did not even look away from the screens. As this reporter watched, she gave only a curt reply, “Wait,” before punching a button to call Cell 5. “Inmate 6128. You have a legal visit.” Another screen was showing a

Aug 4, 2026By Hankookilbo
'I wouldn't do your job': Inmates pity Korean prison officers as dire conditions test their resolve
Society

Korea unveils plan to power AI boom entirely with clean energy

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment unveiled an ambitious strategy to power its artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions with clean energy, arguing that responding to the AI revolution and the climate crisis simultaneously will determine the country's future. During a policy briefing to the president Tuesday, the ministry presented its vision for building an “electrostate,” a strategy aimed at meeting the soaring electricity and water demands of AI data centers, semiconductor fabrication plants and other advanced industries through expanded carbon-free energy and infrastructure. "We are confronting the AI revolution and the climate crisis at the same time, and how we respond to and overcome these challenges will determine our future," Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan said. The ministry plans to expand renewable energy generation rapidly, aiming to bring 100 gigawatts of capacity online ahead of schedule while strengthening power grids and energy storage systems to meet soaring electricity demand from AI and advanced industries. The plan includes large-scale solar farms on

Aug 4, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea unveils plan to power AI boom entirely with clean energy
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