Photo courtesy of Anadolu
At least 21 people have died from heat-related illnesses in South Korea this year as extreme temperatures continued across the country, local media reported Wednesday.
Health authorities recorded 2,441 emergency room visits for heat-related conditions from mid-May through Tuesday, according to data cited by Yonhap News Agency.
Although the number of patients was lower than during the same period last year, fatalities had already exceeded the 20 deaths recorded in the comparable period in 2025.
One of the latest victims was a man in his 60s who died after working outdoors at a farm in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province.
Heat exhaustion accounted for 61.7 percent of reported cases, followed by heat stroke at 16.8 percent and heat cramps at 11.5 percent.
South Korea’s weather agency expanded its highest heat warning across parts of the greater Seoul area on Wednesday.
About 43 percent of the region was placed under the most serious alert level as the prolonged heat wave continued.
Temperatures in Seoul were forecast to reach 39 degrees Celsius on Thursday, raising further health concerns for outdoor workers and other vulnerable groups.