[Anchor]
Outdoor workers continue to face a grueling daily battle against the scorching heatwave.
KBC reporter Yang Hyu-chang met with a delivery worker climbing up and down stairs and a traffic control officer stationed at a hot intersection.
[Reporter]
At an apartment complex in Gwangju, where midday temperatures soared up to 36°C (97°F).
Kim Woo-hyun, a delivery worker, hurriedly climbs up and down stairs in a building without an elevator.
Not long after starting his deliveries, his clothes are already soaked in sweat.
[Kim Woo-hyun / Delivery Worker: Summer only comes once a year, but that one time is definitely hell. It is already hot enough just walking up, but carrying packages makes it even harder.]
With as many as 400 packages to deliver on a busy day, there is hardly any time to rest properly.
I have been following him around for about 15 minutes now.
His heart rate exceeded a peak of 140 beats per minute.
This is a level equivalent to moderate-intensity exercise.
He briefly moistens his throat inside his moving vehicle, but because the transit distance is short, he has no time to enjoy the air conditioning before getting right back out to resume work.
At Baegun Intersection in Nam-gu, Gwangju, where heat hazes rise from the ground.
The sound of Min Byeong-do's whistle continuously echoes as he directs traffic amidst the heat radiating from vehicles.
Working 10 hours a day without shift rotations, he protects the safety of citizens while enduring vehicle exhaust heat and the scorching asphalt.
[Min Byeong-do / Nam-gu Gwangju Model Drivers Association: We take a break once every 50 minutes, and we stay hydrated with plenty of water... We wear cooling vests and other gear while on duty.]
Without a moment to sit and rest, he takes a quick sip of water and heads right back out onto the road.
As the intense heat waves persist day after day, outdoor workers continue to guard their posts while battling the sweltering weather today.
(Video by: Kim Jong-won KBC)
KBC Yang Hyu-chang
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