Southeast South Korea shatters temperature records as heat wave intensifies

On Wednesday, southeastern South Korea experienced temperatures never before recorded in modern monitoring, as Yangsan hit 40.3 °C—the highest since the KMA began tracking the city in 2008—and Busan logged 38.8 °C, eclipsing its 1904-era record. The Korea Meteorological Administration linked the extreme heat to the combined effects of the North Pacific High and the Tibetan High pressure systems and warned that the pattern will likely persist through the end of next week.

In the capital, the agency upgraded its advisory to a full heat-wave warning after apparent temperatures exceeded 35 °C for several consecutive days. Seoul’s metropolitan government responded by keeping public facilities open around the clock for cooling and restricting outdoor construction work between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., urging private sites to follow suit.