South Korea Records Highest Ever Temperature at 42.5C
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Yangsan recorded 42.5C on Sunday afternoon, the highest temperature since modern weather observation began in 1904, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), and exceeded 40C for a fifth consecutive day.
- The Korea Meteorological Administration urged people to "immediately stop all outdoor activities" and warned that "indoor spaces without air conditioning are dangerous," with more than 20 localities under newly introduced emergency heatwave alerts.
- The emergency heatwave alert category, introduced this year, is triggered when perceived temperatures reach 38C or actual temperatures hit 39C for the day.
- KMA data shows South Korea's average annual heatwave days have more than doubled to 19 over the past five years, with a heatwave day defined as a maximum temperature of at least 33C.
- The Korea Baseball Organization cancelled a professional game in Changwon after temperatures hit 39.5C, the second consecutive game cancellation in the city, citing spectator and player safety.
- Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather to human-induced climate change, with the return of El Niño adding further warming this year.
- Other South Korean cities including Daegu and Busan saw temperatures climb into the high 30s as residents, like Seoul office worker Ju Dong-yeol, sought refuge in air-conditioned malls and cafes.
Why it matters: The 42.5C record — the highest since 1904 — disrupts daily life across at least 20 localities under emergency alerts, forces cancellations of outdoor events like professional baseball games, and reflects a documented doubling of annual heatwave days over five years, signaling that extreme heat is becoming South Korea's new baseline rather than an anomaly.
