Seoul's Yongsan-gu is rolling out a comprehensive heat response plan to protect residents and prevent heat-related illness as the summer heat season gets fully underway, the district announced.
The district is centering this year's heat strategy on strengthening protection for vulnerable residents and expanding heat-relief facilities, with the aim of building a tightly coordinated response system that residents can feel in their daily lives.
When a heat advisory is issued, the district will operate an integrated heat emergency operations center involving 13 departments across four divisions to monitor weather conditions in real time and reinforce safety measures and on-the-ground response across all sectors.
The district is concentrating its administrative resources above all on protecting heat-vulnerable populations. Disaster relief assistants will conduct regular welfare checks on elderly people living alone and people with disabilities, while patrols will also cover areas with high concentrations of low-income housing residents and homeless individuals. The district will also operate cooling shelters to give vulnerable residents and the general public a safe place to escape the heat.
The district is also moving quickly to expand heat-relief facilities that residents can use in their everyday lives. The "Naengon Sarangbang" — small smart rest shelters equipped with heating and cooling units and seating — added three new locations in April, bringing the total to nine. The shelters handle both extreme heat and cold and are installed near bus stops to provide a comfortable waiting space for public transit users and pedestrians.
The Yongsan Saemteo hydration stations will also support residents through the summer. This year, the district plans to operate a total of 19 stations — 17 vending machines and two refrigerator units — so residents can access free chilled water close to home.
Smart shade structures for pedestrian protection will continue to expand. The structures open and close automatically based on temperature and wind speed, providing shaded space at crosswalks and high-foot-traffic areas. Currently operating at 162 locations, the district plans to expand the total to 200 this year through new installations and replacement of aging units.
Cooling fog systems will also grow by three additional units, bringing the total to nine. The systems spray fine water particles to lower ambient temperatures and will be concentrated in heat-vulnerable areas and high-traffic spaces to maximize the perceived-temperature reduction.
The district will also carry out field-based heat response activities including road washing, operation of water feature facilities and safety management for outdoor workers. When a heat advisory is in effect, the district plans to actively promote preventive guidelines — such as avoiding outdoor activity and drinking plenty of water — so residents can enjoy a safe summer.
"As heat waves become a daily reality due to climate change, the importance of heat response policies that residents can actually feel is growing," Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Gyeong-dae said. "We will do our utmost to operate cooling shelters, Naengon Sarangbang lounges, Yongsan Saemteo stations and other heat-relief facilities to their fullest, so that all residents can enjoy a healthy summer without worrying about the heat."
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