As climate change is rising, Korea is facing a heatwave. People are suddenly having trouble staying cool in places that used to be quite hot. People who can afford it are improving their homes with better cooling systems, and families now schedule their days around being indoors. Once embraced after lengthy winters, the sun is today viewed as something to tolerate rather than to relish. Sales of ice, fans, and anything remotely cold are rapidly increasing, senior folks avoid going outside, and the streets are quieter during the daytime hours.
South Korea’s heatwave propels an increase in air conditioner sales
Sweltering summers in South Korea are driving surging demand for air conditioners and electricity, with the country’s electronics heavyweights pushing home upgrades by touting power-saving technology. Samsung Electronics’ 005930.KS domestic home AC sales grew by 50% in the first quarter of 2025 ending March, compared to the same period last year.
While rival LG Electronics 066570.KS recorded 60% higher domestic sales in the same stretch ahead of a hotter-than-expected summer. Sales have boomed despite government estimates that 98% of households in the country of 51 million people already have air conditioning, as the companies charm consumers by marketing improved cooling and energy efficiency and AI-powered models.
Heatwaves drive demand and power use, fuelling the global AC boom
Samsung told Reuters in a statement, without giving specific sales details,
“We expect the favorable trend in global air conditioner sales to continue, driven by growing demand for eco-friendly and high-efficiency products due to ongoing climate change.”
LG said it expects its air conditioner business to keep growing this year as customers replace old units with more efficient models. Temperatures in Seoul have hit record highs this summer, reaching 37.8 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) in early July, before the traditional hottest month of August. Longer, stronger heatwaves are driving AC sales
Globally and cooling is expected to account for a significant amount of the global growth in power demand over the next decade. Global power demand for cooling systems is set to rise by around 1,200 terawatt hours by 2035, outstripping a projected 800 TWh increase in demand from data centres, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Growing Power Use Raises Environmental and Economic Concerns
Comfort comes at a price. South Korea’s energy infrastructure is under more strain as a result of the sharp rise in AC usage. Demand for utilities is rising, and there are concerns that the power grid may be further taxed if the heat persists into the early autumn. Residents are being advised by officials to use electricity responsibly and, if at all possible, to avoid using appliances during peak hours.
Conversations on climate change are also being sparked by these occurrences. Heatwaves that are increasingly regular and intense could become the new normal, according to experts, particularly in East Asia. Additionally, if cooling equipment isn’t driven by clean energy, the increasing reliance on it may lead to a feedback loop in which consuming more energy to cool down makes the heat worse. Now we know that extreme heat exposes cracks in public health and safety systems.
The sticky nature of air-conditioning power demand, which officials say stays high once it rises, has pushed South Korea to shore up power reserves, boost imports of coal, and put underused power plants running on the fuel on standby. Residential air conditioning made up 16% of annual power demand in South Korea last year, compared with 14% before the pandemic. Government officials are also distributing energy vouchers and relaxing tariffs to aid air conditioning use among low-income groups. Could the Seine reopening to swimming after a century‑long ban to help with the heat?
GCN.com/Reuters