South Korea heatwave death toll hits 16, interior ministry says
South Korea heatwave has killed 16 people and sickened over 2,000 others since May 15, ministry says, as record temperatures grip the nation
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A man wipes off sweat at a jjokbang village which is a tiny single-room housing district, in Seoul, South Korea, August 4, 2026.
Reuters
South Korea's heatwave has killed 16 people so far this year, the interior ministry said Tuesday, as the country swelters through record-breaking temperatures.
How many people have died from the heatwave in South Korea?
South Korea's heatwave has killed 16 people between May 15 and August 2, the interior ministry said. A total of 2,025 people have been treated for heat-related illnesses in that period. The toll comes as the country endures one of its most severe heatwaves on record this summer.
How hot has it gotten in South Korea?
South Korea has broken its own heat record three times in the past week. The latest all-time high, 42.5 degrees Celsius, was recorded in the city of Yangsan on Sunday. Such figures place this heatwave among the most extreme the country has faced.
What heat warnings are currently in place?
Seoul was placed under the country's highest-level severe heatwave warning on Tuesday. Temperatures are forecast to climb close to 40 degrees Celsius again in the capital. "Extreme, life-threatening heat is forecast," the weather agency said in a statement Tuesday.
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