South Korea's record heat spoils potato crops, farmers lament unprecedented damage

South Korea is grappling with unprecedented heat, with the mercury soaring to a record 42.5 degrees Celsius in Yangsan on August 2. This extreme temperature, the highest since records began over a century ago, has devastated crops in the Gangwon province.

Farmers are reporting that potatoes, once healthy, have become soft and mushy, as if boiled, due to the intense heat turning the soil into an "oven." Lee Sang-hyuk, a farmer near the North Korean border with four decades of experience, expressed his deep distress, stating he has never witnessed anything like it.

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I don't even know how to express this. It pains me so much.

Across the country, heatwave warnings have been issued, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius in many cities. A new, extreme heatwave alert category was introduced this year to better manage rising temperatures, with over 20 areas now under this severe warning. A heatwave day is defined as a maximum temperature of at least 33 degrees Celsius, and a tropical night occurs when temperatures do not drop below 25 degrees Celsius overnight.

Scientists attribute these increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather phenomena, such as heatwaves, to human-induced climate change. The record-breaking temperatures and their impact on agriculture highlight the growing threat of climate change to food security and livelihoods.

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I have been farming for 40 years, but I have never seen anything like this before.