South Korea sets 42.5C heat record as warnings spread nationwide

South Korea logged its highest temperature since records began more than a century ago, with the southeastern city of Yangsan reaching 42.5C on Sunday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. Yangsan has been at the center of the current heat wave, posting temperatures above 40C for a fifth consecutive day. Much of the country was under heat warnings, and more than 20 localities faced emergency heatwave alerts, a category introduced in 2026 for especially dangerous conditions. The agency issues the alert when forecast perceived temperatures reach 38C or actual temperatures hit 39C for one day. KMA data shows the average annual number of heatwave days has risen to 19 over the past five years, up from eight in the 1970s.