Gwanak-gu launches 'Haepiso' cooling shelters in all-out push against extreme heat

Seoul's Gwanak-gu district announced Wednesday it is launching a comprehensive heatwave response plan to keep residents safe through the summer.

The district will focus on expanding heat-reduction facilities and strengthening protections for vulnerable residents under what it calls "community-centered public safety management." This year, authorities are also introducing two new alert tiers to reflect increasingly prolonged and recurring heat events: a "major heatwave warning," the highest level of heatwave alert, and a "tropical night advisory" targeting the dangers of overnight heat. The major heatwave warning is issued when the apparent temperature is forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius or the actual temperature to hit 39 degrees. When that threshold is met, outdoor work and work inside vinyl greenhouses must be suspended. The tropical night advisory is issued when the overnight low is expected to stay at or above 25 degrees.

Backed by 765.2 million won (about $504,000) secured from the Seoul Metropolitan Government's disaster management fund and special grants from the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the district will introduce a new outdoor cooling shelter called "Haepiso" — a name meaning "a place to escape the sun." The air-conditioned shelter, housed inside an air dome, will be installed at the Nakseongdae children's water play area, which draws large numbers of families in summer, to provide a comfortable environment for visitors. The district will also install new shade canopies at eight heat-vulnerable spots that currently lack adequate cover, and expand existing heat-reduction infrastructure including cooling fog systems and smart shade structures.

The district's chilled bottled-water service, known as "Gang Gam-chan Mineral Water," will continue operating along major pedestrian routes and in high-traffic areas.

Smart technology will also play a central role in preventing heat-related harm. "Smart multi-rest facilities" equipped with air conditioning and Wi-Fi will operate until midnight at bus stops near hospitals, parks and schools. For 2,491 households considered vulnerable to extreme heat — including middle-aged and older people living alone — the district will provide IoT smart plugs that monitor electricity consumption to detect emergencies, as well as an automated welfare check service that tracks call activity on mobile phones and places automatic check-in calls to flag signs of distress.

Community care teams and visiting nurses will make in-person welfare calls to vulnerable households. The district also plans to run patrols to protect homeless people on the streets and manage the safety of outdoor workers exposed to extreme heat for extended periods.