SEOUL, July 9 (Yonhap) — Two out of three people who died from heat-related illnesses were aged 60 or older, statistics from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) showed Wednesday.
According to the KDCA, 238 people have died from heat-related illnesses since the government started monitoring such deaths in 2011.
Among them, 156 people, or over 65 percent, were aged 60 years or older.
By location, 32 percent of the heat-related deaths occurred on farms, while 15 percent took place in homes and approximately 14 percent near roads.
This year, seven people have died from heat-related illnesses as of Tuesday, four of whom were aged 70 or older.
A farmer wipes off sweat while pulling weeds on farmland in North Gyeongsang Province on July 8, 2025, as a heat wave gripped the country. (Yonhap)
Last Wednesday, a woman in her 80s died after she was found unconscious near a greenhouse in Jinju, 280 kilometers south of Seoul.
Another woman, also in her 80s, was found dead in a rice paddy on Jeju Island, with second-degree burns on her chest and face.
With temperatures expected to rise even further in the coming weeks, health authorities advised people to stay hydrated, move to cool and shady places and refrain from outdoor activities during the day.
It has also recommended agriculture workers to work in early mornings or late evenings and avoid going outdoors in the hours between noon and 5 p.m.
fairydust@yna.co.kr
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