Person found dead after resting in sealed car during heat wave

A person was found dead on Saturday after they decided to rest inside a sealed vehicle during Korea’s ongoing heat wave, with police suspecting heatstroke as the cause of death.

The person was found unresponsive inside a car in a parking lot in Yeongdong County, North Chungcheong, at around 3 p.m., according to the police on Sunday. The body was discovered by an acquaintance, who reported the incident to emergency services.

Shortly before their death, the victim had visited a nearby stream with friends to collect freshwater snails. They reportedly complained of dizziness at around 7:40 a.m., then returned to the vehicle to rest.

The car’s air conditioner was turned off when the body was found, and all of the windows were shut.

The daytime high in the county reached 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) that day.

Police believe that the victim died of heatstroke after falling asleep inside the sealed vehicle, noting that they had no known underlying medical conditions.

Police plan to request an autopsy from the National Forensic Service to determine the exact cause of death.

BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]