Heat watch warning systems are operating in Korea and several other countries (China, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Germany, Australia, and Japan). The heat wave indices used in this system are the heat index, perceived temperature, the wet bulb globe temperature, and the daily maximum temperature. To improve the heat wave advisory and warning system, some suggestions have been made. The meteorological-health index (i.e., indirect index), has especially been proposed in previous studies. This information should be provided not only to vulnerable groups (seniors, infants, and children), but also to outdoor workers who may be particularly exposed to heat waves. In addition, to have sufficient preemptive response times, the need for an extension of the heat watch warning period was suggested. Finally, the subdivision of administrative units and risk stages was proposed.

The current standard level of Heat Health Watch Warning System consider both daily maximum temperature and daily maximum heat index(HI), but current standard could not consider daily maximum HI due to the difficulties in forecasting when we consider both daily maximum temperature and daily maximum HI and no considering HI because relative humidity could not observed for some regions. So, Newly established standard level of Heat Health Watch Warning System is based on daily maximum temperature exceeding 30℃ for two consecutive days or daily minimum temperature exceeding 25℃ and daily maximum temperature exceeding 30℃. These days are called "extreme heat days". On extreme heat days, the standard of extreme heat advisory is based on daily maximum temperature among exceeding 32.7℃ and not exceeding 34.8℃, and extreme heat warning is based on daily maximum temperature exceeding 34.8℃. ANOVA analysis was carried out using the data of Seoul Metropolitan City in 1994 to check the robustness of the new standard level of Heat Health Watch Warning System from this study, in particular for mortality variable. The results reveal that the new standard specifies excess mortality well, showing significance level of 0.05 in the difference of excess mortality for each phase.

This study investigates the standard, duration period and excess mortality of extreme heat using the standardized daily mortality data from 1991 to 2004, establishing a standard threshold Criteria for Heat Health Watch Warning System in Korea. It ultimately aims to provide the guidance in building up Heat Health Watch Warning System for Korea by suggesting the standard to quantify thermal stress from heat. The standard threshold Criteria for Heat Health Watch Warning System for Seoul metropolitan city takes into account both daily maximum temperature and daily maximum heat index(HI) and consists of four phases; caution, extreme caution, danger, and extreme danger. Extreme caution phase and danger phase are used as the advisory and warning of extreme heat, respectively. Since the nationwide distribution of the frequency of extreme heat day and the excess mortality rate shows little difference across regions, the standard threshold Criteria for Heat Health Watch Warning System for Seoul metropolitan city can be used for other regions.