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Early summer heat gripped many parts of Korea on Monday, with the inland city of Gimcheon logging temperatures higher than the heat wave threshold. As of 2:40 p.m., temperatures in Gimcheon, about 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul, stood at 36 degrees Celsius, higher than the 33 degrees Celsius threshold for a heat wave, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Temperatures in the southeastern city of Gyeongju reached 35.9 degrees Celsius around the same time, marking a mid-May record since authorities began tracking temperatures in the city in August 2010. Temperatures rose to 34.7 degrees Celsius in the nearby city of Daegu and to 32.4 degrees Celsius in the southwestern city of Gwangju, marking record mid-May highs for both cities. The earlier-than-usual heat comes as Korea has come under the influence of a high-pressure system, leading to clear skies without clouds. As the high-pressure system moves eastward, however, more clouds are expected to form, with rainfall forecast from Wednesday to Thursday.