Record early heat wave leads to surge in heat-related illnesses

Rescue workers prepare emergency supplies at a fire station in Bupyeong Incheon on July 9 2025 Yonhap — Rescue workers prepare emergency supplies at a fire station in Bupyeong, Incheon on July 9, 2025. Yonhap

SEOUL, July 11 (AJP) - As a record-breaking early heat wave continues to grip the country, more than 1,300 cases of heat-related illnesses including nine deaths have been reported so far this summer, prompting health authorities to urge vulnerable people to take extra care on Friday.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), some 1,357 people have been taken to emergency rooms nationwide with heatstroke, dehydration, or exhaustion since mid-May, a sharp increase from fewer than 500 cases during the same period last year.

The KDCA urged people to avoid outdoor activities during the peak daytime hours, rest whenever they feel fatigued, and stay hydrated, adding that most of the victims were elderly farmers who suffered heatstroke while working in the fields amid scorching heat.

The number of such cases hovered above 100 every day this week and soared to 254 on Tuesday alone, as temperatures in Seoul climbed above 37 degrees Celsius, the hottest for early July in the capital since relevant records began in 1907, breaking the previous record of 36.8 degrees set in 1939.

People cool themselves off at Cheonggye Stream in downtown Seoul on July 6 2025 Yonhap — People cool themselves off at Cheonggye Stream in downtown Seoul on July 6, 2025. Yonhap

With the end of 12 consecutive days of tropical nights in some parts of Seoul and the surrounding areas, when the mercury did not fall below 25 degrees Celsius, many people finally woke up from a sound sleep.

But the unrelenting heat is forecast to persist through this weekend, with Seoul's daytime high reaching 36 degrees, before mid-week showers across most parts of the country next week bring some respite, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

Meanwhile, it is expected to become mandatory for workers to be guaranteed a break of at least 20 minutes within every two hours during periods of severe heat waves. The Ministry of Employment and Labor is set to review a proposal on Friday afternoon to revise relevant rules, which include a clause mandating such breaks when the perceived temperature reaches 33 degrees or higher, to ensure workers' safety.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com