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Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
S. Korea poised for Lee Jae Myung's formal inauguration ceremony on Liberation Day
South Korea is poised to hold an official appointment ceremony on Aug. 15 for President Lee Jae Myung, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety on Monday. The ceremony for Lee, who assumed the role of head of state on July 4 immediately after his presidential election victory, will align with the 80th anniversary of National Liberation Day, when Korea was liberated from Imperial Japan's colonial rule in 1945. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at 8 p.m. at the Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. It will follow the commemoration of National Liberation Day at 10 a.m. at the nearby Sejong Cultural Center. According to the Interior Ministry, the upcoming inauguration ceremony is designed to allow select participants to share their hopes and wishes with the president. The event will also highlight the concept of "popular sovereignty" under the Lee administration. The ministry said it would accept applications to participate in the inauguration ceremony online from Monday to noon on Friday. On the day of Lee's appointment on June 4, a ceremony was briefly held indoors at the National Assembly before some 300 guests.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
At least 11 deaths linked to scorching heat wave in S. Korea
In Seoul, daily highs are forecast to reach 35 deg C or higher through July 31. SEOUL - Amid an intense heat wave in South Korea that shows no signs of abating, a government estimate suggested on July 27 that the number of suspected heat-related deaths has almost tripled, compared with 2024. From May 20 until July 25, the government's daily estimate showed that 11 deaths were suspected to be heat-related. The figure is nearly three times higher than the four recorded in the same period in 2024. In the latest incident, a pedestrian in his 50s died at around 3pm on July 25 after he collapsed in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. By region, Gyeonggi Province saw three deaths, while South Chungcheong Province and North Gyeongsang Province reported two deaths each. A total of four deaths were reported in Seoul, Busan, North Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province, according to the estimate by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The government also estimated that nearly 2,200 people experienced heat wave-related illnesses in the same period, up more than twofold on-year. Eighty-seven of the cases were reported on July 25 alone. With the mercury rising above 37 deg C on July 27, the Korea Meteorological Administration's forecast suggested that the heat wave, defined as successive days when the high tops 35 deg C, will likely last until July 31. South Korea is currently under the influence of double high-pressure systems , as the Ministry of Interior and Safety on July 25 estimated that over 40 per cent of South Korea's territory would see highs of 35 deg C over the next three days. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road South sinkhole removed; road remains closed for repairs Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole Asia Thai-Cambodia border shelling continues despite Trump's ceasefire call Singapore PAP has to retain its position for S'pore to keep doing well: SM Lee Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021 Singapore HSA will not trace vape users who throw away e-vaporisers in disposal bins at 23 CCs Singapore Mum at 15: More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024 Business Already owning 5 properties, woman wanted elderly dad's 4 homes The same day, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters entered Level 1 emergency operations – the lowest of the three-tiered system. On July 27, heat wave advisories or warnings were in effect in 180 out of 183 weather zones across the country. The coastal city of Gangneung in Gangwon Province saw the highest temperature as of 2pm, reaching 37.2 deg C, followed by 36.7 deg C in Seoul; 36.6 deg C in Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon Province; and 36.4 deg C in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, according to the weather authorities. The apparent temperature – reflecting how hot it feels to the human body – hit 38 C in Paju, Gyeonggi Province; 37.1 deg C in Ganghwado Island of Incheon; 36.2 deg C in Gochang-gun, North Jeolla Province; 36.1 deg C in Gangneung, Gangwon Province; and 35 deg C in Seoul, as of 1pm on July 27. On July 26, the mercury topped 40 deg C in some regions, with Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, marking a high of 41.3 deg C. In Seoul, daily highs are forecast to reach 35 deg C or higher through July 31, then dipping below 35 deg C starting Aug 1 due to increased cloud cover. Seoul will also endure tropical nights, as nighttime temperatures will stay above 26 deg C throughout the week. The daily lows in the capital are forecast to be around 27 deg C on July 28 and 28 deg C on July 30. The heat wave, coupled with heavy downpours in mid-July , has caused significant crop damage, resulting in a spike in food prices. According to data from the state-run Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, as of July 25, the retail price of a head of cabbage rose more than 50 per cent from a month earlier to 5,436 won (S$5), while a kilogram of spinach rose by more than 153 per cent to 22,760 won. A kilogram of lettuce retailed for 12,690 won, up 31.5 per cent from June. The KMA estimated that South Korea experienced 9.5 days of heat wave conditions from June 1 until last July 25, which was the second-highest number recorded since 1973. Meanwhile, according to the Interior Ministry as of the morning of July 27, South Korea had enough capacity to cover the 81.5 gigawatts of electricity demand during the peak hours expected on the evening of July 27. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Climate
- Korea Herald
At least 11 deaths linked to scorching heat wave
Extreme weather to persist until Thursday Amid an intense heat wave in South Korea that shows no signs of abating, a government estimate suggested Sunday that the number of suspected heat-related deaths has almost tripled compared to last year. From May 20 until Friday, the government's daily estimate showed that 11 deaths were suspected to be heat-related. The figure is nearly three times higher than the four recorded in the same period last year. In the latest incident, a pedestrian in his 50s died at around 3 p.m. Friday after he collapsed in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. By region, Gyeonggi Province saw three deaths, while South Chungcheong Province and North Gyeongsang Province reported two deaths each. A total of four deaths were reported in Seoul, Busan, North Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province, according to the estimate by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The government also estimated that nearly 2,200 people experienced heat wave-related illnesses in the same period, up more than twofold on-year. Eighty-seven of the cases were reported on Friday alone. With the mercury rising above 37 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the Korea Meteorological Administration's forecast suggested that the heat wave, defined as successive days when the high tops 35 C, will likely last until Thursday. Korea is currently under the influence of double high-pressure systems, as the Ministry of Interior and Safety on Friday estimated that over 40 percent of South Korea's territory would see highs of 35 C over the next three days. The same day, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters entered Level 1 emergency operations -- the lowest of the three-tiered system. On Sunday, heat wave advisories or warnings were in effect in 180 out of 183 weather zones across the country. The coastal city of Gangneung in Gangwon Province saw the highest temperature as of 2 p.m., reaching 37.2 C, followed by 36.7 C in Seoul; 36.6 C in Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon Province; and 36.4 C in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, according to the weather authorities. The apparent temperature -- reflecting how hot it feels to the human body -- hit 38 C in Paju, Gyeonggi Province; 37.1 C in Ganghwado Island of Incheon; 36.2 C in Gochang-gun, North Jeolla Province; 36.1 C in Gangneung, Gangwon Province; and 35 C in Seoul, as of 1 p.m. Sunday. On Saturday, the mercury topped 40 C in some regions, with Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, marking a high of 41.3 C. In Seoul, daily highs are forecast to reach 35 C or higher through Thursday, then dipping below 35 C starting Friday due to increased cloud cover. Seoul will also endure tropical nights, as nighttime temperatures will stay above 26 C throughout the week. The daily lows in the capital are forecast to be around 27 C on Monday and 28 C on Wednesday. The heat wave, coupled with heavy downpours in mid-July, has caused significant crop damage, resulting in a spike in food prices. According to data from the state-run Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, as of Friday, the retail price of a head of cabbage rose more than 50 percent from a month earlier to 5,436 won, while a kilogram of spinach rose by more than 153 percent to 22,760 won. A kilogram of lettuce retailed for 12,690 won, up 31.5 percent from the previous month. The KMA estimated that South Korea experienced 9.5 days of heat wave conditions from June 1 until last Tuesday, which was the second-highest number recorded since 1973. Meanwhile, according to the Interior Ministry as of Sunday morning, South Korea had enough capacity to cover the 81.5 gigawatts of electricity demand during the peak hours expected Sunday evening.
Korea Herald
21-07-2025
- Climate
- Korea Herald
Is it unprofessional to wear sandals to work on rainy days?
With heavy rain drenching the country, a recent online post by a commuter who wore sandals to the office sparked heated debate over what constitutes appropriate office attire on rainy days, according to online discussions Monday. In the post, the commuter, who introduced himself as a first-year employee, wrote that some colleagues came to work in rubber sandals or Crocs sandals, during a heavy downpour. Although they switched into neat indoor slippers upon arriving at the office, they were reprimanded by their superior for being unprofessional. He also considered wearing Crocs, as he didn't want his sneakers and socks to get soaked. But since he was still new to the company and didn't want to be criticized, he decided to just pack them in his bag and wore them only on his way home. Supporting the idea of wearing sandals on rainy days, he asked other users, 'Wouldn't wearing Crocs be better than dealing with the unpleasant smell of soaked sneakers and socks?' Online reactions were divided. Some users argued that such footwear should be considered acceptable in extreme weather. 'In situations like a downpour or even flooding, commuting to work feels like going through a battlefield. Wearing Crocs isn't a big deal. It's not like it happens every day. Honestly, no one wants to sit next to someone in soggy sneakers,' one commenter wrote. 'Everyone wears slippers in the office anyway, so what's the big deal about wearing them on the way there? As long as you're doing your job right, let's not waste time nitpicking over pointless stuff,' another user wrote. Others, however, prioritized professionalism over convenience. 'If you let one or two people wear Crocs, soon everyone will be walking into the office in them. What kind of impression would that give to clients or partners?' one comment read. Another added, 'Even wearing slippers inside the office is controversial. The workplace isn't your home, and following a dress code is part of being competent.' Meanwhile, torrential rain and landslides that began on July 16 have left 18 people dead and nine missing as of Sunday night, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. Although the rain has stopped, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecast that most parts of the country will see daytime highs with a perceived temperature of around 33 degrees Celsius in the coming days, with tropical nights likely in some areas.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Three dead as South Korean region hit by most rain in 120 years
At least three people were killed and more than 1,000 evacuated Thursday after South Korea was hit by torrential rains, officials said, with one region pummelled by the most rainfall per hour since full records began. South Korea typically experiences monsoon rains in July, but three areas in the country's South Chungcheong province this week saw some of the heaviest hourly downpours on record, official weather data showed. Three people were killed Thursday, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said, all in South Chuncheong province. "As of 4pm local time at least three people have died today due to torrential rains," a Ministry of Interior and Safety official told AFP, adding that more than 1,000 people had been evacuated. Police told AFP that one person was found inside a submerged vehicle, an elderly man was swept away near a stream, and another elderly man had been found dead in a flooded basement apartment after his son reported him missing. The western Seosan area was hit by rainfall peaking at 114.9 millimetres (4.5 inches) per hour, "a level typically seen only once in 100 years", a weather agency official told AFP, adding that this was the highest rate since full records began in 1904. The heavy rains were due to "warm and moist air flowing in along the edge of the North Pacific High, triggering strong atmospheric instability", the official added. South Korean broadcasters ran videos of severe flooding in Seosan, with water swamping markets and apartment complexes, as well as submerging parked cars. AFP reporters saw residents in Seosan struggling to clean up the aftermath of the floods on Thursday, with parking lots and shops still seen flooded with muddy water. Choi Hee-jin, a nightclub owner, told AFP it had been "heartbreaking" to return to her business after the floods had swept through. "Water had completely filled the club, and everything -- sofas, fridges, furniture, even computers -- was just floating around," Choi said. "How do you think it feels to see that? Honestly, it felt like the world was collapsing. There are no words to describe it." The national weather agency said in a statement that nearly 440 mm (about 17.3 inches) of rain had fallen in Seosan by 10:30 am on Thursday -- equivalent to 35 percent of the region's average annual rainfall. "The water is just too deep and so much mud has been pushed in that I've already been working for about five hours trying to drain it all out," said Kim Min-seo, a 50-year-old restaurant worker, as she scrubbed the muddy floor. "I'm still not done," she added. - Evacuation orders - Residents in Hongseong county, in South Chungcheong province, were ordered to "evacuate immediately to a safe location" early Thursday morning due to flooding from a nearby stream. Several schools and nurseries in the county were also closed. South Korea is regularly hit by flooding during the summer monsoon period, but is typically well-prepared and the death toll is usually relatively low. Scientists say climate change has made weather events around the world more extreme and frequent. South Korea also endured record-breaking rains and flooding in 2022, which left at least 11 people dead. They included three people who died trapped in a Seoul basement apartment of the kind that became internationally known because of the Oscar-winning Korean film "Parasite". The government said at the time that the rainfall was the heaviest since records began, blaming climate change for the extreme weather. hs/ceb/fox Solve the daily Crossword
