Seongdong-gu expands rest shelter for essential, platform workers during summer heat

Seoul's Seongdong-gu will extend operating hours at its rest shelter for essential and platform workers through July and August, adding Saturdays to its regular weekday schedule to protect workers from the summer heat, District Mayor Yu Bo-hwa announced.

The Seongdong Essential and Platform Workers' Rest Shelter was established to improve working conditions and provide rest for workers with no fixed workplace who travel throughout their shifts. A total of 4,737 people used the shelter in 2025, with delivery and courier workers accounting for about 65 percent of all visitors.

To allow workers who need a break during the heat to use the facility on weekends as well, the shelter will open every Saturday — excluding public holidays — from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in July and August, on top of its existing weekday hours.

The shelter maintains comfortable temperature and humidity levels to ensure a pleasant rest even during extreme heat and provides chilled water to help workers cool down. Private rest rooms with massage chairs and mobile phone charging stations are also available, helping workers recover their energy and prepare for safe continued work.

A user satisfaction survey conducted in the first half of this year recorded an overall satisfaction rate of 96 percent, and 55 percent of users said they visited the shelter three or more times a week.

"We decided to extend Saturday hours to protect the health of essential and platform workers from the summer heat," Yu said. "We will continue to actively reflect the voices of workers on the ground and build a shelter where they can use the space safely and comfortably."