When a heat warning was issued across Seoul on Sunday, 50-year-old Lee stood gasping for air at a construction site in central Seoul. His attempt to cover his arms and neck with sun-protective sleeves proved futile against the scorching heat, and his work clothes were drenched in sweat. “It’s literally raining sweat here,” Lee said. “I’m soaked through to my underwear. But I’m dreading next week, which they say is going to be even worse.” Temperatures in Seoul peaked at 35 degrees Celsius that day. For construction workers surrounded by sun-baked concrete walls and steel frames, conditions were even more unbearable. A thermometer placed on an exterior wall read 39 degrees. Nearby construction sites in central Seoul offered similar scenes. Exhausted workers sat in the shade with bottles of ice water in their hands, but even those did little to fend off the heat. “We take a 10-minute break every hour, but there isn’t even a fan here, so all we can do is sit in the shade,” said Kim, 41. “I sweat so much that my clothes rub my skin raw wherever they touch.” But workers