A prolonged heat wave has pushed temperatures above 40 C for a third straight day in parts of South Korea, with the southeastern city of Yangsan recording a record high of 41.4 C at 1:40 p.m. local time on Friday. This surpasses the previous national record of 41.0 C set in Hongcheon in August 2018. The Korea Meteorological Administration has issued its highest-level heat wave warning for parts of South Gyeongsang province, where Yangsan is located. Temperatures above 40 C have been recorded for three consecutive days in Yangsan.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
South Korea recorded its highest-ever temperature of 41.4°C on Friday, surpassing the previous national record of 41.0°C, which was set in Hongcheon in August 2018. The record high temperature was measured at 1:40 p.m. local time in the southeastern city of Yangsan, where temperatures have been above 40°C for three consecutive days due to an intense heat wave affecting much of the country. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has issued its highest-level heat wave warning for parts of South Gyeongsang province, including Yangsan, while heat wave advisories and warnings remain in effect across most of South Korea. This extreme heat is part of a prolonged heat wave that has pushed temperatures above 40°C for three days straight in some areas, with forecasters monitoring the potential impact of Typhoon Dolphin on the region's weather conditions next week.
Written for “South Korean Heat Wave Record” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article uses neutral language to report on the extreme heat event, avoiding sensationalist or emotive terms. The only potential signal is in the brief explanation of the weather systems causing the heat wave, which mentions 'the North Pacific High and the Tibetan High pressure systems', but this phrase could be considered neutral or even slightly scientific.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score -0.05 for article 409 · logged 2026-08-05
South Korea records highest-ever temperature of 41 C amid intense heat wave
Mercury has topped 40 C for 3rd straight day in parts of the country
South Korea recorded its highest temperature on Friday since modern weather observations began, as a prolonged heat wave pushed temperatures above 40 C for a third straight day in parts of the country.
asserted
wave → record → country
The record was set in the southeastern city of Yangsan, where temperatures reached 41.4 C at 1:40 p.m. local time, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
uncertain
temperatures → set → Administration
The reading surpassed the previous national record of 41.0 C, set in Hongcheon in August 2018.
asserted
reading → surpass → August
Yangsan has now recorded temperatures above 40 C for three consecutive days amid an intense heat wave affecting much of the country.
asserted
Yangsan → record → country
The KMA has issued its highest-level heat wave warning for parts of South Gyeongsang province, including Yangsan, while heat wave advisories and warnings remain in effect across most of South Korea.
asserted
advisories → issue → Korea
"KMA data records using the ASOS observing system began in 1973, and the 41.4 C measured in Yangsan is the highest temperature observed in our records since then," a KMA spokesperson said.
asserted
spokesperson → use → records
The KMA said the extreme heat across the country was caused by the simultaneous influence of the North Pacific High and the Tibetan High pressure systems, which have covered the Korean Peninsula like a lid, trapping heat and allowing temperatures to build across much of the country while limiting cloud cover.
asserted
temperatures → say → cover
Forecasters are also monitoring Typhoon Dolphin in the western Pacific, whose eventual track could influence weather conditions over the Korean Peninsula next week, although its impact on the ongoing heat wave remains uncertain.
uncertain
impact → monitor → wave
