South Korea Swelters Under 'Double-Blanket' Heatwave

An oppressive heatwave continues to grip South Korea, with cities like Busan and Daegu experiencing temperatures that residents describe as unlike anything they've felt before. On July 30, Busan recorded a high of 39.9 degrees Celsius in Geumjeong-gu, just shy of the 40-degree mark, and has endured 12 consecutive nights of tropical conditions. Early morning temperatures in some areas remained in the high 20s, forcing residents like 70-year-old Kim Jin-tae to exercise before sunrise.

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I've never experienced heat like this in my life.

"I've never experienced heat like this in my life," said Kim, sweating profusely during a morning workout by the Oncheoncheon stream. "I came out for exercise during the coolest part of the day, but even after just 10 minutes, I'm drenched." Many others expressed similar sentiments, with 77-year-old Choi Soon-im leaving a riverside spot, hoping for a slight reprieve that never came. The heat is so intense that even shaded areas and cooling fog installations in public squares are offering little relief.

In Daegu, where the daytime high reached 35.8 degrees Celsius on July 30, residents are also struggling. Eighty-three-year-old Yang, shielding himself with a golf umbrella, noted the cumulative effect of days of extreme heat. "It's become unbearable," he said before heading to a bank's cooling center. Subway stations have become crowded havens for the elderly seeking to escape the relentless sun. At Sincheon Station, 71-year-old Kim sat in the air-conditioned "Customer Healing Center," while at Banwoldang Station, a major transfer point, finding a seat was nearly impossible.

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You have to cover up no matter what when you come out in the middle of the day.

These underground spaces have become makeshift community centers, with people walking laps for exercise. Looking ahead, the forecast for Daegu predicts temperatures to remain in the high 30s throughout the coming week. The severe weather has already had tragic consequences, with a construction worker in Goseong, Gangwon Province, found dead on July 29 after finishing roof work during a heatwave warning.

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If you stay home, you have no choice but to turn on the air conditioner, so I just come out here.