The driver's license testing center in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province [Yonhap]
The driver's license testing center in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province [Yonhap]

As a heat wave pushing temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius continues day after day, driving license skills tests will be temporarily reduced or suspended.

Authorities plan to concentrate skills test sessions in the cooler morning hours and keep afternoon testing to a minimum.

The Korea Road Traffic Authority announced Saturday that it would temporarily scale back or halt driving license skills tests due to the extreme heat. The measure aims to prevent heat-related illness among test-takers and on-site staff.

To minimize inconvenience to applicants, the authority will schedule the bulk of skills tests during the relatively cooler morning hours.

In the afternoon, the authority will reduce the number of test sessions once the heat index reaches 35 C and suspend tests entirely if it climbs to 38 C.

Applicants with existing reservations who need to reschedule will be notified of the changes.

Each driver's license testing center is also taking steps to prevent heat illness, including setting up portable outdoor air conditioners, shade structures and parasols.

"Given the severe and prolonged heat wave, we are temporarily suspending or reducing skills test operations to protect the safety of applicants and on-site workers," an authority official said.

Meanwhile, temperatures approached 40 C on Friday in Seoul's Nowon-gu, Hanam in Gyeonggi Province and Gwangyang in South Jeolla Province, as the final stretch of summer heat bore down with full force.

The Korea Meteorological Administration downgraded its extreme heat advisory — the highest alert level — to a standard heat wave warning for most of the greater Seoul area, Gangwon Province's inland region and the Honam area at 6 p.m. Friday. In Seoul, the extreme heat advisory had been in effect since 11 a.m. Tuesday, meaning the capital spent four days under the highest-level alert before the downgrade.


sjpark@heraldcorp.com