South Korean President Urges Increased Aid as Heat Wave Death Toll Reaches 16

South Korean President Urges Increased Support as Heat Wave Death Toll Reaches 16

August 4

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung urged authorities on August 4 to step up support for those suffering from the heat as a record-breaking heat wave has claimed up to 16 lives.

President Lee Jae-myung instructed officials at a cabinet meeting to implement necessary measures to protect people's daily lives and to thoroughly check the power supply system amid rising air conditioner usage.

"As such extreme weather conditions are becoming the norm, it is necessary to fundamentally restructure the entire national crisis management system," the South Korean president said.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, temperatures in Yangsan, an inland city in the southeastern part of the country, soared to 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5 degrees Fahrenheit) on August 2, marking the highest temperature ever recorded in 122 years of measurements.

Additionally, the Korea Meteorological Administration issued its first-ever heat wave warning for parts of the capital Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province on August 3, but by August 4, the heat wave warning had been expanded to cover the entire capital city of Seoul.

Ref & Photo; Reuters

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