Lee Orders All-Out Response as Seoul Nears 39°C, 21 Dead
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- Lee Jae Myung ordered ministries and local governments to mobilize all available personnel and resources until the heatwave eases, stressing protection of vulnerable residents and stricter enforcement of rest breaks for outdoor workers during the hottest hours.
- Seoul is forecast to hit 39°C on Thursday, approaching its all-time record of 39.6°C set in August 2018, as the national heatwave death toll climbed past 21.
- Yangsan recorded South Korea's highest temperature in 122 years of weather observations on Sunday, while overnight temperatures in some Seoul neighborhoods barely slipped below 30°C.
- The Korea Baseball Organization cancelled all 10 games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday after spectators fainted in the heat, including a fan who collapsed during a game in Incheon.
- Typhoon Dolphin, though posing no direct threat, is strengthening easterly winds that cross the peninsula's mountain spine and descend over western regions as hot, dry air, intensifying Seoul's heat, per the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Why it matters: With 21 dead and Seoul nearly matching its 2018 record, the all-out mobilization reframes the heatwave as a national emergency — putting liability on ministries to enforce rest-break compliance for outdoor workers and protect vulnerable residents during the remaining peak days. The baseball cancellations show heat strain now reaching routine public life, not just vulnerable populations.
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