South Korea recorded its highest temperature since records began in 1904 after the mercury hit 42.5 degrees Celsius in Yangsan, a city in the southeastern part of the country near Busan port, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
The KMA said the peak was reached at 13:26 local time. It was the fifth consecutive day that Yangsan logged temperatures above 40C.
Heat warnings have been issued for most of the country's 51 million residents. More than 20 areas are under the highest level of heat alert, while many cities are recording temperatures of around 30C.
The KMA said the average annual number of heatwave days in South Korea has risen from eight in the 1970s to 19 over the past five years. The agency defines a heatwave day as one on which the maximum temperature reaches at least 33C.
