[Edaily Reporter Kim Ju-hwan ] As record-breaking heat waves continue to sweep across the Korean Peninsula day after day, climate experts have warned that this summer’s heat is not the end but merely the beginning, and that temperature increases could be even steeper next year.

Professor Kim Baek-min of the Department of Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences at Pukyong National University appeared on CBS Radio’s “Park Seong-tae’s News Show” on the 6th and stated, “Temperatures in Yangsan, in the southern region, have exceeded 41 degrees Celsius, and in terms of national records, we have already surpassed the 2018 record,” adding, “The record for the hottest year in Korea will now be set in 2026.”

Professor Kim identified the “uncooling ocean” as the most decisive cause of this summer’s heatwave. He explained, “The water temperature in the seas surrounding Korea has risen to 28–29 degrees, turning them into a hot tub warmer than nighttime air temperatures,” adding, “It’s to the point where even if you jump into the ocean at night because it’s hot, it doesn’t feel cool at all.”

He went on to emphasize, “The ocean, which had been absorbing the heat from greenhouse gases emitted through industrialization with its entire body, has reached its limit and is now releasing that heat,” adding, “Since another peak is expected in mid- to late August, we must be most cautious of tropical nights caused by the ocean failing to cool down.”

In particular, he pointed to the paradoxical phenomenon of “reduced air pollution” as a factor behind global ocean warming. Professor Kim explained, “Recently, as we’ve phased out fossil fuels and expanded renewable energy, the air has become cleaner, and the skies have cleared up due to regulations on ship emissions and other measures.” He added, “Paradoxically, because the skies have cleared, sunlight is heating the ocean even more, which is the root cause of the rising temperatures in mid-latitude regions worldwide.”

An even bigger concern is that the effects of the Super El Niño will become fully evident next year. Professor Kim noted, “There is a time lag of about one year between the Super El Niño and the phenomenon of the ocean releasing heat into the atmosphere,” and urged, “Temperature rises next year could be steeper than this year’s, so we must be better prepared for next year’s heat.”

He further elaborated, “Even if we reduce carbon emissions, the heated seawater will not cool down quickly, so the current generation will have no choice but to endure this trend of heatwaves until 2040–2050—an era of the ‘new normal.’”

Finally, he criticized the government’s heatwave countermeasures for failing to reflect on-the-ground realities. Professor Kim pointed out, “The temperature measured by the Korea Meteorological Administration is recorded in a white box (white-panel sensor) on a lawn, shielded from direct sunlight, so there is a significant discrepancy between that reading and the temperature actually felt by construction workers or farmers working on asphalt.” He added, “Asphalt can reach temperatures of up to 60 degrees, and workers are exposed to the radiant heat from the scorching surface with their entire bodies.”

He added, “The government should not only consider temperature and humidity but also take radiant heat into account to develop a sophisticated heat index suitable for work sites and mandate its implementation as soon as possible.”