Eight taken to hospital after South Korea marathon held in 30 deg C

SEOUL - Eight runners were taken to hospital with heat-related illnesses after a marathon near South Korea’s demilitarised zone with North Korea took place amid record temperatures, local authorities told AFP on April 20.

The DMZ Peace Marathon in the city of Paju allows participants to test their mettle on a course running close to the highly sensitive area that separates South from North Korea.

Temperatures approached 30 deg C for the April 19 race as much of the Korean peninsula baked under a warm front more akin to summer than its typically mild spring weather.

Twelve runners fell ill, including suffering convulsions, dizziness and hyperventilation, officials said.

Eight were taken to hospital, including a 43-year-old who needed intensive care.

The authorities said the stricken runners appeared to have pushed themselves despite the rising heat.

A fire official urged people to look out for signs of heatstroke and “stop exercising immediately and cool down” if they occur.

In the capital Seoul, about 30km from Paju, temperatures hit 29.4 deg C over the weekend, the highest in mid-April since modern record-keeping began in 1907.

The Korea Meteorological Administration told AFP that the heat spike was likely caused by a temporary weather system drawing warm air northwards, a pattern sometimes seen during spring.

Human-driven climate change is also raising global temperatures and worsening extreme weather. AFP