A scorching heat wave is continuing to roast Seoul and most parts of the country, with no end in sight.

A heat wave warning was issued for the capital and most other cities on Wednesday, as the mercury rose closer to 35 degrees Celsius in Seoul, the hottest this season.

It was the first time that the city received such a warning for high temperatures since the national weather agency began issuing them in 2008.

A high pressure system, which settled in the peninsula last month, is blamed for the heat wave. But temperatures in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi Province are rising higher recently due to geographical reasons, the Korea Meteorological Agency said.

“Temperatures are inching higher in the western parts of the country because of hot air moving east to west,” it said. Air gets hotter when it passes over the Taebaek Mountain Range, which runs along the length of the peninsula’s east coast, it explained.

“The phenomenon is likely to continue for some time.”

Seoul is expected to report a high of around 35 degrees Celsius again on Thursday, with Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, reaching 36 degrees.

Coastal areas in the south and Jeju Island are in for a brief respite from the heat, tough, as typhoon Damrey, moving north-northwest from south of Japan, is expected to bring rain there.

According to the health authorities, six have died of heat stroke so far, with more than 300 rushed to hospital for heat-related illness.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)