South Korea activated its first-ever emergency heatwave alert on Sunday, marking the inaugural use of a new warning system implemented this year. Authorities have urged citizens to limit outdoor activities and prioritize cooling measures to ensure safety.
Officials stated that the updated system was introduced to more effectively manage the increasing frequency, duration, and intensity of heatwaves sweeping across the peninsula.
Under the new guidelines, an emergency alert is triggered when forecasts predict a perceived temperature of 38°C or an actual temperature of 39°C for a single day.
“The Korea Meteorological Administration issued an Emergency Heatwave Warning at 10 a.m. today for Gyeongsan and Pohang, two cities in southern North Gyeongsang Province,” agency chief Lee Mi-seon announced during a press briefing.
Lee further noted that this represents the first time such a warning has been deployed since the system’s inception.
The affected regions recorded temperatures that met the emergency threshold over the weekend.