Extreme drought is persisting across South Korea's southern provinces despite the presence of two typhoons heading toward China and Japan [1], [2].
The lack of precipitation threatens agricultural stability and water security in key coastal regions. While extreme heat warnings have largely been lifted, the absence of rain has created a secondary crisis for the southern peninsula.
Rainfall totals for July in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam reached only 68 mm [1]. Ko Han-seok said this amount is approximately one-fifth of the climatological average and represents a record low for the region [1].
The drought persists because the retreat of a double high-pressure system ended the extreme heat without providing moisture. Although two typhoons are currently active in the region, they are projected to bring rain only to the east coast and China [1], [2]. The storms are not expected to push significant rainfall inland to the drought-stricken southern provinces.
Local officials said the heatwave has subsided, but the drought remains severe in the south. The current weather pattern has left the agricultural heartlands of Gyeongnam, and the industrial hubs of Ulsan and Busan, vulnerable to water shortages.
Forecasts indicate that the moisture from the approaching typhoons will remain concentrated along the eastern coastline [1]. This leaves the southern interior and western coastal areas reliant on unpredictable weather shifts to break the dry spell.
“July rainfall in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam reached only 68 mm.”
This situation highlights a growing meteorological volatility in East Asia, where traditional weather patterns—such as typhoons—may fail to provide relief to regions experiencing extreme drought. The record-low rainfall in South Korea's industrial and agricultural south suggests that regional water management systems may be under-equipped for 'extreme drought' scenarios that occur even during typical storm seasons.
