[Anchor]

The heat is particularly unusual in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do across the country. There are even concerns that the 1994 heat wave, considered the worst in history, might be repeating.

Reporter Kim su-yun visited Daegu in person.

[Reporter]

Dongseongro, Daegu's largest bustling commercial district.

The temperature of the sidewalk blocks where citizens walk and pass by approaches a whopping 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).

People try to block the sun with parasols and take out portable electric fans, but it is far from enough to escape the heat, which feels more scorching than just hot.

[Lee Young-ho and Jang Ga-rin / Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do: I sweat a lot, and I feel a bit dizzy. Notoriously hot Daegu, or Daefrica. It is hot just as the name suggests.]

We measured the temperature of a bench used by citizens in the middle of Dongseongro.

As you can see, a temperature reaching 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded.

Merchants who must work in traditional markets have a hard time.

They pour in more ice than usual to maintain the freshness of the fish for sale, but worries come first.

[Kim Kyung-hee / Seomun Market Merchant: Ice definitely goes in double compared to winter. While we use 2 in winter, we use 5 to 7 in summer like this, a lot more goes in.]

Quite a few stores have even closed their doors altogether, unable to withstand the heat wave.

[Bae Sung-jin / Seomun Market Merchant: Business is not happening at all. We cover up (the stalls) like this and only people who seek us out make purchases. (Focusing on regulars?) That's right. We can't make a living. It's too hot.]

They repeatedly sprinkle water on the heated road to cool down the heat, but it is only temporary, and there is no quick fix for this kind of extreme heat.

[Yang Se-won / Buk-gu, Daegu: It seems to have gotten much worse than before. It completely takes my breath away... It feels like Daegu has become even hotter, different from the heat we used to know.]

Based on 5:00 PM, daytime temperatures approached 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) with Dalseong-gun in Daegu at 36.7 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit) and Goryeong-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do at 36.4 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit).

Gyeongju recorded its highest daytime temperature of the year at 39.1 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Daegu Regional Meteorological Administration projected that temperatures in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do will remain similar to now or rise slightly until early next month.

Experts have even raised observations that this year's heat could be similar to the summer of 1994, which is considered the worst ever, as there are quite a few areas in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do currently showing 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher.

Surviving this summer in the Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do region is projected to be more grueling than any other year.

(Camera Reporter: Jung Kyung-moon, Video Editor: Lee Hong-myung, Design: Lee Jong-jung)