No sign of any let-up in the heatwave here in Korea.<br />Temperatures stayed well above 30 degrees Celsius today.<br />The heat in the past couple of weeks has caused several deaths, in fact.<br />Now the government has decided to act to keep people safe.<br />Park Hee-jun reports. It's another weekend of scorching heat in South Korea.<br /> As of Sunday,... heatwave warnings have been issued for most parts of the country.<br />Daytime highs everywhere are over 30 degrees Celsius... with the mercury hitting 38 degrees in Seoul and over 39 degrees in some areas of Gyeonggi-do Province.<br /><br /> According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Saturday,... around 890 people have been treated for heat-related illnesses this summer, and ten people have died.<br />Over 75 percent of those patients are reported to have suffered from heatstroke over the past couple of weeks,... when the rainy season ended.<br /><br /> The agency advises people to refrain from outdoor activities in the hottest time of the day, between noon and 5 PM.<br />It also recommends staying hydrated and cool, and avoiding the sun,... especially those 50 or older, who are most vulnerable to the heat.<br /><br /> And on top of the heat,... ozone warnings have also been issued in several parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province,... where levels are slightly exceeding the standard of zero-point-1-2 parts per million.<br />Under such conditions,... patients with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases are advised to stay indoors.<br /><br /> Meanwhile, the government has decided to reflect those voices calling for more to be done about this dangerously hot summer by designating the heatwave as a natural disaster, which will free up resources and allow for emergency measures.<br />An official from the Ministry of Interior and Safety said Sunday... that the ministry intends to push for relevant laws to be passed at the National Assembly.<br /> Those would enable South Korea to provide stronger, long-term measures to cope with the deadly heat.<br /><br />Park Hee-jun, Arirang News. <br />