Kids play with water at a water fountaint in Seoul, June 19. Korea Times photo by Chung Da-bin

The year 2024 was the warmest year in Korea since modern record-keeping began 113 years ago, the state weather agency said Thursday, citing a surge in sea surface temperatures.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the average annual temperature last year was 14.5 degrees Celsius, which is 2 degrees higher than the preceding 30-year average of 12.5 degrees.

The figure was the highest in 52 years since nationwide weather observations began in 1973. It is also the highest ever since meteorological observations began at six locations on the Korean Peninsula, including Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Gangneung, 113 years ago in 1911.

The previous record for the hottest annual temperature was set just one year earlier in 2023, at 13.7 degrees, the KMA noted.

It said that the average monthly temperatures for all 12 months last year exceeded the 30-year average temperatures. In particular, the average monthly temperature in September was 24.7 degrees, 4.2 degrees higher than the 30-year average.

The agency cited rising sea surface temperatures as the main cause for last year's record-breaking annual temperature.

Last year, the average annual sea surface temperature in waters around the peninsula was 18.6 degrees, which was 1.3 degrees higher than the 10-year average of 17.3 degrees, the KMA said. In September, the average sea surface temperature surged to 27.4 degrees, 3.2 degreeshigher than the 10-year average of 24.2 degrees, it added. (Yonhap)