Professional baseball games have been canceled through this weekend due to the severe heatwave sweeping across the country.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), general managers of the 10 professional clubs, and Jang Dong-cheol, secretary-general of the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association, held an emergency executive committee meeting on heatwave countermeasures at the Baseball Center in Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, today (Aug. 6).

They decided to cancel all 15 games scheduled to be held across five stadiums nationwide from tomorrow (Aug. 7) through Aug. 9.

Previously, the KBO office canceled all professional baseball games yesterday (Aug. 5) and today to ensure the safety of spectators and players.

As a result, the total number of games canceled due to the heatwave this season has increased to 30.

The KBO office and the 10 clubs decided to establish detailed heatwave countermeasures and set up related facilities over the weekend before resuming the league on Aug. 11.

Game start times will also be adjusted.

The start times, which were previously 6:30 PM on weekdays and 6:00 PM on weekends, will be fixed at 7:00 PM for both weekdays and weekends for the time being.

However, games held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul will start at 7:00 PM on weekdays and 6:00 PM on Saturdays.

Sunday games can be scheduled to start at 2:00 PM depending on broadcasting conditions.

The KBO office also decided to introduce a cooling time concept, similar to a cleaning time, to protect players and spectators.

(Photo: Yonhap News)