South Korea Severe Weather Claims 21 Lives as Heat Wave Prompts 10 Baseball Game Cancellations

South Korea severe weather has triggered a severe heat wave that has already claimed 21 lives this year while forcing the Korea Baseball Organization to cancel all 10 professional games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday evenings, with temperatures in Seoul forecast to reach 39 C.

Rising Heat-Related Fatalities and Illnesses

A total of 21 people have died from heat-related illnesses in South Korea so far this year. [1] The death toll of 21 exceeds last year's total of 20 for the comparable period. [1] One of the latest fatalities was a 60-year-old man who was working outside on a farm in the county of Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, on Tuesday. [1] A total of 2,441 patients have visited emergency rooms for heat-related conditions as of Tuesday since mid-May. [1] Among the patients reported this year, heat exhaustion accounted for 61.7 percent, followed by heat stroke at 16.8 percent and heat cramps at 11.5 percent. [1] Although fewer people suffered heat-related illnesses this year than during the same period last year, more people died this year. [1] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 2,221 heat-related hospitalizations and 19 fatalities between May 15 and Monday. [5]

Current Heat Wave Warnings and Temperature Records

The state weather agency issued additional serious heat wave warnings for the greater Seoul area earlier in the day, placing 43 percent of the region under the highest alert level. [1] The top-tier warnings took effect at 11 a.m. in southern Incheon, and nine cities and zones in Gyeonggi Province, including Gwangmyeong, Yeoncheon and Hwaseong, raising the total to 20 out of 46 land weather advisory areas in the capital region. [5] The alert was also issued for Cheongyang in South Chungcheong Province, marking the first time it was implemented in the central Chungcheong provinces. [5] On Tuesday, all of Seoul was placed under the top-tier warning for the first time since its introduction to the heat wave alert system on June 1. [5] A serious heat wave warning is issued when apparent temperatures are projected to hit at least 38 C, or when daily maximums reach 39 C or above, in areas where the highest perceived temperature is 35 C or higher for two or more consecutive days. [3] South Korea has been battling severe heat, with temperatures in the southeastern city of Yangsan reaching 42.5 C, the highest figure since modern weather observations started in 1904. [5] Temperatures in Seoul are expected to reach up to 39 C on Thursday. [1]

South Korea cancels all 10 professional baseball games due to extreme heat wave. — Source: yonhap

Baseball League Cancels Games Due to Extreme Heat

All 10 professional baseball games scheduled for the next two evenings have been canceled due to extreme heat that has gripped the nation. [3] The Korea Baseball Organization announced that the five games slated for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and five more set for the same time Thursday will not be played as scheduled. [3] Those games were set to take place in Seoul, Incheon, Gwangju, Daegu and Busan. [3] Two games in Seoul and Gwangju were wiped out Tuesday. [3] Three other games in Incheon and the two southeastern cities of Daegu and Busan proceeded as scheduled Tuesday. [3] During the game in Incheon between the LG Twins and the SSG Landers, 25 fans were treated for symptoms of heat-related illnesses. [3] One male fan fell unconscious after complaining of dizziness but was later taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition following CPR. [3] Another male fan briefly lost consciousness later in the game but recovered by the time first-aid workers arrived on the scene. [3] The latest decision brings the number of games wiped out by heat this summer to 15. [3] The KBO had announced earlier Tuesday that it would reserve the right to cancel games in cities under the most severe heat advisory. [3] The league said it will hold an emergency executive board meeting Thursday with the general managers of its 10 clubs and representatives from the players' association in attendance. [3]

Public Efforts to Cope with the Heat

Elderly residents of a low-income Seoul neighborhood sought relief in cooling mist systems and water-spraying trucks on Tuesday as South Korea's record-breaking heatwave continued to grip the capital. [4] Cho Sang-yeon, a 57-year-old resident sitting outside a store, said he had never experienced the heat as much as this year in more than two decades of living in the area. [4]

Elderly residents receive cooling mist for relief during Seoul heatwave. — Source: bangkokpost

Health Agency Surveillance and Outlook

A total of 2,441 patients have visited emergency rooms for heat-related conditions as of Tuesday since mid-May, when authorities launched the heat-related illness surveillance system. [1] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported updated figures showing the death toll rising amid the ongoing conditions. [1] Temperatures in Seoul are expected to reach up to 39 C on Thursday, according to the agency. [1] The extreme weather has taken a severe toll on public health. [5]

South Korea Severe Weather Impact on Daily Life and Infrastructure

The ongoing South Korea severe weather conditions have prompted widespread adjustments across multiple sectors as authorities monitor the sustained high temperatures. Serious heat wave warnings now cover substantial portions of the greater Seoul area, with the highest-level alerts activated in numerous zones for the first time under the current system. [5] Record temperatures such as the 42.5 C reading in Yangsan underscore the intensity, exceeding any previously observed since 1904. [5] These conditions have directly influenced decisions like the KBO cancellations, which now total 15 games for the season. [3] Public health responses include the surveillance system tracking 2,441 emergency room visits since mid-May, with specific breakdowns showing heat exhaustion as the leading condition at 61.7 percent. [1] Residents in affected neighborhoods continue to rely on available cooling resources while the heat persists.

What to watch next: The KBO will hold an emergency executive board meeting Thursday to discuss a more comprehensive set of rules on games in severe heat while the regular season remains on hold.