A record heatwave is damaging crops across parts of Asia, with South Korean potato farmers reporting plants failing in extreme temperatures. In Yanggu county, about 130km northeast of Seoul, farmer Lee Sang-hyuk digs up potatoes that have turned soft and collapse, described as “like boiled potatoes,” after the soil heats to levels that spoil crops.
The heat extends beyond South Korea. The report says Hong Kong records its highest ever temperature, while Japan faces intense conditions on newly designated “cruelly hot” days. Across outlets, the common focus is how soaring temperatures and prolonged heat stress disrupt farming by overheating soil and reducing crop viability. The differences are primarily in the regional emphasis: South Korea is highlighted through the potato-field account, while Hong Kong and Japan are referenced for their record and officially labeled heat conditions.
Overall, the articles present the heatwave as widespread and severe, linking extreme weather measurements in multiple locations to direct impacts on agriculture, particularly in areas where farmers rely on stable growing conditions.
