Gangdong-gu Opens 238 Heat-Relief Shelters to Beat the Summer Blaze

Seoul's Gangdong-gu district office has opened 238 heat-relief shelters across the district to prevent heat-related illness and ease residents' discomfort during the summer heat wave season.

The shelters are open to anyone seeking a cool place to rest during outdoor activities. Designated facilities include the district office, 19 neighborhood community centers, libraries, gyms, banks and hypermarkets. During normal conditions, residents may use any designated shelter freely within its regular operating hours. When a heat wave advisory is issued, facilities designated as extended shelters also operate on weekday evenings and weekends.

This year, the district designated all eight of its public libraries as heat-relief shelters — including the Gangdong District Central Library, which opened in 2025 — and recruited additional private and public facilities that operate at night and on holidays, bringing the total number of extended shelters to 21. Extended shelters are accessible during each facility's operating hours, including weekday evenings, so residents can find relief even on tropical nights.

The district has also established a new overnight emergency heat refuge for residents who are vulnerable to extreme heat or need temporary protection when they cannot sleep due to tropical nights during a heat wave warning or higher alert. The multipurpose gymnasium in the west wing of the Gangdong-gu district office has been designated as the emergency refuge, and the district said it will be fully equipped to ensure visitors can stay comfortably.

The district has also signed agreements with two local private hotels — Harmony Tourist Hotel and Bago Tourist Hotel — to operate "senior safety lodgings" for low-income households aged 65 and older who live in poor housing conditions or face a high risk of severe heat illness when a heat wave advisory is issued. Residents wishing to use the service may apply in person at their neighborhood community center or through a care manager or visiting nurse. Once the district confirms their booking, they can check in at the designated hotel with a valid ID.

Information on the location and operating hours of all heat-relief shelters is available on the Gangdong-gu district office website (under Field Information → Disaster/Safety/Civil Defense → Heat-Relief Shelter Locations) and through the Seoul Safety Nuri portal or the Ministry of Interior and Safety's Safety Stepping Stone app. As operating hours vary by facility, residents are advised to check before visiting.

"We will continue to identify and expand heat-relief shelters so that every resident can rest comfortably and stay safe from the dangers of extreme heat," district mayor Lee Su-hee said.