SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea issued its first highest-level heat-wave warnings for Gyeongsan and Pohang on July 12 as dangerous temperatures spread across much of the country. The Korea Meteorological Administration announced the alerts at 10 a.m. under a system introduced on June 1. The warnings marked the first use of the new emergency tier, which sits above the country’s existing heat-wave advisory and warning levels.
The agency activates the top warning when an area has recorded an apparent temperature of at least 35 C for two straight days. It must also expect an apparent temperature of at least 38 C or an actual high of 39 C for one day. Officials said both cities met those conditions after intense heat built across southern North Gyeongsang Province. The alert signaled a serious risk of heat illness even among healthy people.
Gyeongsan’s Hayang district reached 39.9 C on July 11, while the city’s Jungbang district hit 37.9 C. In Pohang, Gigye township recorded 37.2 C, although the city’s main observation point registered 34.0 C. Temperatures remained high on July 12, with Hayang reaching 36.4 C and Gigye reaching 36.5 C. Most other parts of South Korea also remained under heat-wave advisories or standard warnings.
Authorities urge people to halt outdoor activity
The Korea Meteorological Administration told residents to stop outdoor work, exercise and events, then move to air-conditioned buildings or cooling shelters. It also advised people to drink water regularly and check on older adults, children and others at higher risk. Authorities warned against leaving people or pets inside parked vehicles. The guidance focused on immediate action because the alert level represents the most dangerous heat conditions in the national system.
North Gyeongsang Province raised its heat emergency status to the highest level and expanded its disaster response operations. Officials sent field teams to Gyeongsan and Pohang and strengthened checks on vulnerable residents, outdoor workers and rural communities. The province had already expanded its joint heat-response task force before summer and increased support for cooling centers. Local authorities also used community officials, welfare workers and disaster volunteers to contact residents who could face greater exposure.
Heat-related illnesses rise as temperatures climb
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 99 heat-related illness cases nationwide on July 11, the highest daily total this year. That figure rose from 21 cases one day earlier. The agency had counted 636 patients since its seasonal emergency-room monitoring program began on May 15. Two suspected heat-related deaths appeared in the cumulative total, while officials recorded no deaths among the July 11 cases.
Weather officials lowered the top-level warnings in Gyeongsan and Pohang to standard heat-wave warnings at 4 p.m. on July 12. The first activation tested South Korea’s revised three-tier alert structure during a broad spell of extreme heat. Government agencies kept standard heat alerts across many regions and continued public health monitoring. The system uses temperature and humidity to measure apparent heat, giving authorities a clearer basis for issuing health-focused warnings.