South Korea recorded a temperature of 42.5C in Yangsan, the highest reading in the country since observations began more than a century ago, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The southeastern city reached the mark at 1:26 p.m., or 0426 GMT, during a prolonged heatwave.
Yangsan had exceeded 40C for five consecutive days by August 2. Temperatures also rose into the upper 30s in several other cities, including Daegu and Busan. In Changwon, a daytime reading of 39.5C led the Korea Baseball Organization to cancel a professional game for the second day in a row, citing the safety and health of players and spectators.
More than 20 localities were under emergency heatwave alerts. South Korea introduced that warning category during 2026 to address increasingly severe hot conditions. An emergency alert can be issued for a heat-affected area when the perceived temperature is forecast to reach 38C or the measured temperature is expected to reach 39C for the day.
The weather agency advised people in affected places to stop outdoor activity, leave indoor spaces without air conditioning and move to cooling centres or shade. It also urged residents to rest and maintain hydration. The guidance reflected the immediate risk posed by the recorded temperatures, rather than serving only as a general seasonal advisory.
KMA figures show that the average annual number of heatwave days rose from eight during the 1970s to 19 over the most recent five-year period. The agency defines a heatwave day as one on which the maximum temperature reaches at least 33C. The 42.5C Yangsan observation stood well above that threshold and established a national record.
Residents sought relief in air-conditioned shopping centres and cafes. In Seoul, 27-year-old office worker Ju Dong-yeol said he had gone to a cafe with his parents because remaining outdoors was too hot and cooled homes, malls and cafes were the practical alternatives. His account illustrated how the heat was changing ordinary activity even outside the record-setting city.
The record and the warnings formed part of the same national heat emergency. The Yangsan measurement provided a precise peak, while the alert coverage, repeated 40C days and baseball cancellations showed the broader operational effects. Officials reported no national casualty total, and the record was reported as a meteorological observation rather than an estimate.
The record was reported in Celsius; 42.5C is equivalent to 108.5F. The time attached to the observation allows it to be treated as a specific station measurement rather than a rounded daily estimate. KMA did not say how long that maximum persisted or provide the previous national-record figure.
