The country's weather agency Gisangcheong reports that the temperature for the three summer months was 25.6 degrees, on average over the entire day and across the entire country, writes news agency AFP.
In many places, it has therefore often been much warmer, and particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly have suffered. Not even at night has it been possible to get cool – in the capital Seoul, a new record was set with 39 consecutive nights when the temperature did not drop below 25 degrees. The previous record was 26 nights.
Humanity's growing emissions are fueling the increasingly warm climate, and in recent days, several similar reports have come from around the world. Climate researchers have predicted that 2024 will globally be the warmest year on record.
But there are signs of a turnaround. Last week, South Korea's Constitutional Court ruled that many of the country's climate goals were insufficient. The verdict came after a group of young people demanded greener policies.
Crucial in this context is also China, which dominates global emissions. But it is now being reported that several emission targets set for 2030 have been achieved six years ahead of schedule. This includes, among other things, phasing out polluting coal power and expanding green energy such as wind and solar power.
