Gwangjin-gu, led by District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho, is rolling out a comprehensive heatwave response plan to minimize harm to residents as prolonged summer heat threatens the district.
The district will expand water-spraying operations to ease urban heat island effects, inspect heat-reduction facilities, and distribute heatwave supplies to vulnerable residents and outdoor workers, concentrating its administrative resources on protecting the public.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, temperatures this July have a 60 percent chance of exceeding seasonal norms, making proactive measures essential. The district will operate a real-time situation management and phased response system through Sept. 30, the end of its 2026 heatwave response period, to prevent heat-related harm.
To ease urban heat island effects, the district is expanding water-spraying truck operations on arterial roads. When a heatwave advisory is issued, operating hours will be extended by two hours and the fleet scaled up to a maximum of nine vehicles, with three privately contracted trucks added to the existing fleet.
On narrow side streets where standard spraying trucks cannot enter, district administrative vehicles will be fitted with snow-removal brine tanks, filled with water, and used for daytime road washing. The measure is designed to extend heat-reduction benefits to alleyways and lower the overall temperature in built-up areas.
Heat-reduction facilities will also be continuously managed so residents can find relief close to home. When a heatwave advisory is in effect, facility conditions will be checked frequently to minimize inconvenience, and signage for designated cooling shelters will be produced and updated so that locations and operating hours are easy to find.
Public awareness campaigns and supply distribution will complement the physical measures. Posters outlining recommended public behavior will be distributed to community service centers, cooling shelters, welfare facilities, and other high-traffic venues.
Outdoor workers participating in the Gwangjin Drinking Water Station program and vulnerable residents in each neighborhood will receive heatwave supplies — cooling arm sleeves, UV-blocking hats and parasols, handheld fans, and wearable neck fans. The items are intended to provide practical relief to residents with limited indoor cooling or frequent outdoor exposure, helping prevent heat-related illness. Distribution will also include guides to nearby public cooling shelters so residents know where to go safely during extreme heat.
"Heatwave is a disaster that directly affects health and lives, so proactive response is paramount," District Mayor Kim said. "We will pursue a seamless heatwave strategy that residents can feel — from expanded water spraying to ease urban heat island effects, to managing cooling facilities, to supplying vulnerable residents and outdoor workers — so that everyone can have a safe summer."
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