(3rd LD) Gwangmyeong, Paju hit record July highs above 40 C in South Korea

(ATTN: UPDATES paras 1-7 with temperatures in Gwangmyeong, Paju; CHANGES headline; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- Temperatures in the western South Korean cities of Gwangmyeong and Paju soared above 40 C on Tuesday, marking the highest July temperatures ever recorded in the country, the state weather agency said.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Paju reached 40.1 C at around 3:24 p.m. while Gwangmyeong hit 40.2 C at around 3:42 p.m., based on data from its automated weather stations.

It was the first time temperatures in South Korea surpassed 40 C since Aug. 4 last year, when the mercury in Yeoju climbed to 40 C during what was recorded as the hottest year in the country's history.

South Korea has only seen a few instances of temperatures exceeding 40 C. Daegu recorded 40 C on Aug. 1, 1942. After a long gap, several regions including Hongseong, Chuncheon (north), Uiseong, Yangpyeong and Chungju saw temperatures rise above 40 C on Aug. 1, 2018. Uiseong again crossed 40 C on Aug. 14 that year. On Aug. 5, 2019, Anseong in Gyeonggi Province also hit 40.2 C.

The highest temperature ever recorded in South Korea since modern records began in 1904 was 41 C in Hongcheon on Aug. 1, 2018, according to the KMA.

Also on Tuesday, Seoul registered its highest temperature for early July in the 117 years since record-keeping began in the capital city in 1908, with the mercury climbing to 37.7 C at around 3 p.m.

The previous record for the first 10 days of July in the capital was 36.8 C, set on July 9, 1939, according to the agency.

Besides Seoul, new high temperature records for early July were set in many other cities nationwide -- Incheon (35.6 C), Wonju of Gangwon Province (35.4 C), Suwon of Gyeonggi Province (35.7 C), Cheongju of North Chungcheong Province (35.7 C), Daejeon (36.3 C), Gochang of North Jeolla Province (35.8 C) and Busan (34.5 C), the weather agency said.

The sweltering weather may slightly ease around Friday but will continue again later due to the influx of hot and humid air from the south, it said.

The heat wave is forecast to persist until some rainfall in the capital area and western Gangwon Province around July 16, the agency said.

Seoul experienced its ninth consecutive tropical night between Monday and Tuesday.

According to the weather agency, the nation's average temperature, excluding the southern Jeju Island, in the first seven days of July was 28.1 C, the highest figure on record since relevant record-keeping began in 1973.

ycm@yna.co.kr
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