In brief
The rainy seasons in South Korea and Japan have become less reliable, with residents caught off-guard by unexpected weather changes.
East Asia's monsoon seasons, known for their heavy and predictable rains, are becoming less reliable, largely due to climate change. In South Korea, people like Choi Moon-hee are abandoning their umbrellas, finding it odd that their rainy season this year has barely delivered any showers. A recent downpour marked her first experience of rain since forecasters declared the monsoon started two weeks ago.Traditionally occurring from mid-June to July, the rainy season used to extended nearly a month. However, western Japan reported the earliest change in monsoon status this year, with rainfall ending in late June. Scientific studies link these changes to climate change, which is known to influence erratic weather patterns globally, impacting millions in countries like India and China with floods and droughts.
