Preventing heat illness
If consciousness clouds or sweating stops, call 119 at once. This is life-threatening.
The stages
- Heat exhaustion — heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, pallor, headache. Rest somewhere cool and take fluids.
- Heatstroke — very high body temperature, sweating stops, consciousness clouds. Life-threatening. Call 119 immediately.
- Heat cramps — muscle cramps in limbs or abdomen. Replace fluids and electrolytes.
Emergency response
- Call 119.
- Move the person into shade or air conditioning.
- Loosen their clothing and cool them (something cold at the neck, armpits and groin).
- If fully conscious, give water or an electrolyte drink in small sips.
- If consciousness is clouded, do not force fluids — they may choke.
Prevention
- Drink often, before you feel thirsty.
- Avoid outdoor work in the hottest hours of the afternoon.
- Rest in shade at regular intervals.
- Wear loose, light-coloured clothing and a hat.
- Don't work alone. Check on each other.
- Watch for heatwave warnings via the Emergency Ready app and disaster text messages.
For people at work
During a heatwave, providing rest breaks, shade and water is part of the employer's safety duty.
- If there is no water, shade or rest, consult 1350 or KOSHA on 1544-3088.
- If you collapsed from the heat, consider an industrial accident claim.
Where to go
- 119 emergencies
- 1339 Korea Disease Control Agency
- 1544-3088 KOSHA
- 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour
Questions people ask
When should I go to hospital? If rest and fluids don't help, go. Reduced consciousness, seizures or heavy vomiting mean 119.
Is it dangerous at night too? Yes. On tropical nights, heat illness can occur indoors. Older people and homes without air conditioning are especially at risk.
What about children and older people? They are more vulnerable. Never leave a child alone in a car — even briefly.
Is drinking lots of water enough? If you have sweated heavily, replace salts and electrolytes as well.
Take care
"Just a bit more, then I'll rest" is the most dangerous thought. Dizziness and nausea are warnings from your body. Stop and get into shade. Cars, plastic greenhouses and enclosed workplaces are especially dangerous.
Related
heatwave-emergency · emergency-symptoms · workplace-health · cold-wave · first-aid-basics
Source
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency www.kdca.go.kr / As of 2026-08