▲ This image, published by the Korean Central Television, shows North Koreans visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on July 8, 2025, on the 31st anniversary of the death of national founder Kim Il-sung. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

N Korea-heat wave

Heat wave scorches North Korea

SEOUL, July 9 (Yonhap) -- A heat wave is scorching North Korea, with daytime high temperatures in the capital expected to reach up to 34 C, state media reported Wednesday.

The morning low in Pyongyang was 25 C in the day, about 4 C higher than the average, and the day's high is forecast to reach 34 C, the Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported.

In South Korea, it is called a tropical night when the temperature does not fall below 25 C between 6:01 p.m. to 9 a.m. the following morning.

The broadcasting network forecast the day's highs may reach 35 C in Kaesong near the inter-Korean border, 34 C in the central city of Pyongsong and 33 C in the northwestern city of Sinuiju.

The average relative humidity may also reach 70 percent in the day, bringing sweltering weather, it said.

As the heat wave grips North Korea, the country is advising people to avoid outdoor activities and stay in the shade when outside.

"The organ hit hardest in the summer season is the hearth," the North's most widely read newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said in its Wednesday edition, introducing certain herbs and berries as useful ingredients for strengthening the heart and reducing fatigue in summer.

Chronic energy shortages typically make it difficult for the general public in North Korea to use air conditioners, except in public institutions, public spaces or the homes of the elite class.

Amid limited access to energy, some people with deep pockets reportedly import solar panels from China to operate high-power fans on their own, while the use of air conditioners is considered a rarity in ordinary homes.

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