South Korea hits record 42.5°C heat as drones warn remote farmers

South Korea recorded its highest temperature since modern weather observation began in 1904 on August 2, when the southeastern city of Yangsan reached 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5°F) at 1:26 PM local time. This marked the fifth consecutive day that temperatures in Yangsan exceeded 40°C. The extreme heat gripped much of the country, with more than 20 localities placed under emergency heatwave alerts—a new warning category introduced in 2026 to address increasingly severe temperatures. Emergency alerts are issued when perceived temperatures reach 38°C or actual temperatures reach 39°C.

The heat wave has caused significant human and animal casualties. Since mid-May, approximately 2,220 people have been diagnosed with heat-related illnesses and 19 have died in South Korea, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. The heat has also claimed livestock and aquaculture stock: approximately 17,140 livestock and about 160,000 farmed fish have died from heat stress. On August 2, President Lee Jae Myung declared the ongoing heat wave a "national disaster" at a Cabinet meeting, instructing officials to mobilize all available resources to protect lives and secure power and water supplies.

In response to the crisis, local government officials in North Gyeongsang province have deployed drone technology to broadcast weather warnings to farmers working in remote fields, aiming to protect agricultural workers from heat-related illnesses. The Korea Meteorological Administration data shows the average annual number of heatwave days has more than doubled to 19 over the past five years, compared with eight days in the 1970s. A heatwave day is defined as one with a maximum temperature of at least 33°C.

The extreme heat has disrupted daily life and entertainment. A professional baseball game in Changwon was canceled after the city's temperature climbed to 39.5°C, marking the second consecutive game cancellation there. On August 6, all 10 baseball games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday were canceled after spectators collapsed from heatstroke at a stadium in Incheon. The Korea Meteorological Administration urged people to "immediately stop all outdoor activities," warning that "indoor spaces without air conditioning are dangerous." Residents were advised to move to cool places such as designated cooling centers or shaded areas and to stay hydrated.

North Korea and Japan have also suffered severe heat. North Korean authorities issued heat wave advisories in many areas, with a hospital official recommending traditional "stamina foods" including dog meat and fish porridge to help people cope with the heat. In Japan, the anti-disaster agency reported more than 18,000 people with heatstroke symptoms were transported to hospitals during the week of July 20–26. Following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on July 28 in Kumamoto that killed 38 people, relief efforts were complicated by extreme heat; a woman in her 70s died of apparent heatstroke while sheltering in her car. Additionally, three female African lions at Tokyo's Tama Zoological Park died within a week from suspected heat-related causes, with several other lions showing signs of distress including decreased activity and loss of appetite.

Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme heat events to human-induced climate change. The return of El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon that warms Pacific Ocean surface temperatures, has also contributed to the exceptional conditions. Authorities across East Asia have urged residents to limit outdoor activities during peak daytime hours, maintain hydration, use air conditioning when possible, and seek immediate medical attention if heatstroke symptoms develop.