South Korea issues first emergency heat alert as temperatures hit 39C

South Korea issued its first emergency heat wave alert under a new system introduced this year as actual temperatures in some areas were forecast to reach 39 degrees Celsius. The Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday issued the alert for Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province. A day earlier, the Interior and Safety Ministry also raised the heat wave watch level to warning in 116 of 235 special alert zones, with daytime temperatures expected to exceed 37 degrees Celsius throughout the weekend. The government urged residents to stop outdoor activities and seek cool places as the risk of serious health problems, including death, rose sharply. KMA data show South Korea now averages 19 heat wave days a year, up from eight days in the 1970s.