Seoul's Yongsan-gu will run an "intensive vulnerable-population protection period" through Sept. 30 to prevent heat-related health harm and strengthen safety for welfare recipients and households at risk from summer heat waves, District Mayor Kim Gyeong-dae announced.
The intensive operation will go into full effect when a heat wave advisory is issued, focusing on stepped-up wellness checks and service referrals for at-risk households.
During the period, the district plans to conduct wellness checks on all monitored households. Households currently checked only once a week, once every two weeks, or once a month will be contacted daily — by phone or in-person visit — whenever a heat wave advisory is in effect.
The district will also draw on a network of community caregivers — including neighborhood care teams, customized senior care services and local block leaders — alongside technology-based systems such as AI care speakers and Internet of Things sensors to build a tighter safety net. Through these resources, the district will regularly monitor residents' health and living conditions and quickly connect them with welfare and care services when needed.
Wellness checks will also include guidance on heat safety measures. Should a resident show signs of heat-related illness or face a medical emergency, the district will immediately arrange medical referrals and other protective measures to help vulnerable residents maintain their daily routines safely.
Each neighborhood community center has been instructed to make direct in-person visits to any resident who cannot be reached by phone. Local community networks — including block leaders and neighborhood care teams — will be deployed to ensure no gaps in welfare checks on weekends and public holidays.
Yongsan-gu is also distributing promotional materials on solitary-death prevention and management to welfare institutions across the district, as part of broader efforts to identify and support households at risk of dying alone.
"Summer heat waves can pose serious risks to vulnerable residents, including elderly people living alone and those with chronic illnesses, so proactive response and thorough wellness checks are more important than anything," District Mayor Kim said. "We will do everything possible, together with the community, to protect vulnerable residents throughout the intensive operation period."
The district said it will maintain a proactive response system calibrated to weather conditions and continue strengthening protections for heat-vulnerable residents by coordinating community safety networks and welfare resources.
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