As heat wave advisories took effect across most of the country immediately after the end of the monsoon season, the government raised the heat wave disaster crisis alert to the "serious" level and activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
On the 27th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety held a meeting to review the heat wave response situation, chaired by Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung, who serves as head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. Yun urged relevant agencies and local governments to "place the lives and safety of the people as the top priority and devote full efforts to a seamless, field-centered response to the heat wave."
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, heat wave advisories took effect across most of the country as the heat intensified after the end of the monsoon season. The heat and tropical nights are also expected to continue for the time being.
The government will first further strengthen monitoring of vulnerable groups, including vulnerable elderly people, residents of tiny single-room dwellings, and homeless people, and provide cooling supplies. It will supervise and inspect whether heat wave safety rules are being observed at outdoor worksites and vulnerable workplaces, visit elderly farmers to check on their well-being, and actively promote measures such as refraining from outdoor activities.
To ensure that any member of the public can comfortably use cooling shelters and heat reduction facilities, the government will inspect operational conditions such as whether cooling equipment is functioning and site accessibility, and will also extend operating hours depending on weather conditions such as tropical nights. It will distribute a "Guide to Responding to Severe Heat Wave Warnings" so it can be used immediately during severe heat wave warning situations, and additionally dispatch field situation managers.
Considering the heat wave situation, the government will also preemptively inspect infrastructure facilities and support the supply of heat wave prevention facilities to livestock farms and the aquaculture industry.
"The heat wave is a disaster that hits vulnerable people even more harshly, including residents of tiny single-room dwellings, elderly people living alone, and outdoor workers," Yun said. "In particular, vulnerable groups who have difficulty using cooling facilities suffer greater pain during tropical nights, so the government will implement detailed protective measures such as expanding the operation of cooling shelters and will work closely with local governments to devote full efforts to preventing casualties."
He added, "During the hot daytime hours, please drink plenty of water and take rest, and in areas where a severe heat wave warning has been issued, please practice the public action guidelines for heat waves, such as immediately stopping outdoor activities and moving to a cool place."
