[Photo] Heat wave drives away beach goers from shores

Although it’s currently the peak season for summer trips to beaches around South Korea, the recent heat wave has turned beaches that are normally packed into desolate, quiet places. Beaches on both the western and eastern coasts of the country have been surprisingly empty these past few days. The above photos show Mallipo Beach, in South Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 1, what is normally the peak of the tourist season. Shop owners on the beach who depend on tourism revenue are worried about how long the heat wave will last.