Seongbuk-gu in Seoul held an event Monday as part of its "2026 Hope Summer Sharing Campaign," distributing 600 care packages to heat-vulnerable residents to help them stay healthy and safe through the summer. The district, led by District Mayor Lee Seung-ro, organized the event under the banner "Please Give Us a Cool Summer in Seongbuk-gu."
Funded by the Community Chest of Korea, the campaign aims to foster a culture of sharing within the community while providing practical assistance to those most at risk from extreme heat. Each kit was packed with everyday essentials for coping with the summer heat, including a summer blanket, nutritious foods such as galbi tang (beef rib soup) and samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), an electric fan, insecticide, a parasol, a dehumidifier and an insulated tumbler.
Seongbuk-gu was the first of 16 participating Seoul districts to hold the campaign, firing the opening shot for this year's sharing drive. The early launch reflects the district's commitment — carried over from the seventh and eighth elected administrations and now into the ninth — to field-centered governance and a "lifestyle-focused welfare" approach that residents can feel directly.
More than 80 people took part in assembling the kits Monday, including dong-level community welfare council chairs, dong heads and community center staff, who packed the items by hand to add a personal touch of neighborly care. Through this public-private collaboration, Seongbuk-gu plans to keep a close watch on neighbors vulnerable to extreme heat and work to sustain a year-round culture of sharing across the district.
Kim Hyeong-jung, chair of the Seongbuk-gu Dong Community Welfare Council Association, said the gathering appeared to be the first time council chairs, dong heads and staff from all 20 dong had come together for a single event. "It is a very meaningful occasion, and I hope it will inspire our council chairs to look after neighbors who are vulnerable to the heat," he said.
District Mayor Lee said the campaign was "a meaningful fruit of sharing, born from the warm dedication and voluntary participation of the community." He added that the district would do its utmost to expand tailored support and a culture of giving "so that heat-vulnerable and marginalized neighbors can get through each season safely and comfortably."
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