Temperature hits record in Seoul amid Korean heat wave

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Seoul recorded its highest temperature ever on Wednesday as a deadly heat wave continues to bake the country.

The temperature in central Seoul hit a record high 103 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest since weather forecasters started tracking temperatures in 1907.

Heat wave warnings have been issued in most of the regions across the country.

At least 27 people have died of heatstroke, as of Sunday, and more than 2,000 people have fallen ill with heat-related symptoms, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The ongoing heat wave has caused more than 350,000 deaths of livestock in the southern province of North Gyeongsang. The North Chungcheong Province also reported some 260,000 livestock deaths.

Food prices have also surged amid the sweltering heat.

Prices for agricultural products jumped by 4 percent last month compared to July of last year, according to a consumer price figure by Statistics Korea, Financial News reported.