The most fundamental role of local government is to look after vulnerable neighbors with care and attention.
Particularly in summer, when heat waves and heavy rains follow one after another, ensuring the health and safety of at-risk groups — including homeless people and low-income elderly residents — is a critical responsibility for the local government closest to its constituents.
Amid this, Seocho-gu District Chief Jeon Seong-su (<style ref="s1">pictured</style>) has drawn praise for what is being called "warm governance" — initiatives aimed at helping homeless people return to everyday life and preventing social isolation among low-income single-person households.
Seocho-gu ran a homeless reintegration support project Tuesday at the plaza outside Express Bus Terminal station in Banpo-dong, offering services designed to help street-dwelling residents return to stable daily life.
Now in its sixth year, the project was organized to protect the health of homeless people and prevent safety incidents amid the ongoing heat wave.
The district has held the event annually since signing an MOU in 2024 with the Seoul Metropolitan Dasi Seogi Comprehensive Support Center and the Seocho branch of the Korean Hairdressers Association to support homeless reintegration.
At Tuesday's event, participants received personalized welfare services including haircuts, on-the-spot ID photo shoots and psychological counseling.
Professional hairdressers from the Seocho branch of the Korean Hairdressers Association volunteered their skills. A professional photographer from the Seocho-gu Volunteer Center took ID photos — with participants' consent — to help restore their confidence and self-esteem.
A street outreach team assessed participants' psychological condition and living circumstances and provided individual counseling on options such as entering a shelter as a step toward resuming normal life.
The district also distributed relief supplies — including ice water, dosirak and toiletries — to homeless people at the event. Working with the Banpo police substation, organizers took steps to ensure safe operations and readiness for any emergencies.
The following day, Seocho-gu held an event called "Naegok Happy Outing: Movie Day" for 40 low-income residents living alone in Naegok-dong who are at risk of dying in isolation.
Organized jointly by the Naegok-dong Community Social Security Council and Yangjae Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, the event was designed to give single-person households — who need stronger social networks — emotional support and a chance to connect with neighbors through a cultural experience.
Participants watched the comedy film "Wild Things," then shared a meal together, chatting and checking in on one another.
The outing was particularly meaningful in summer, when heat waves and heavy rain reduce outdoor activity and make isolation more likely — giving residents a chance to enjoy leisure time in a cool, safe indoor setting and build relationships with neighbors.
Participants also practiced using movie theater kiosks to purchase their own tickets, gaining hands-on experience with digital devices they need in daily life.
Seocho-gu plans to incorporate feedback from participants as it works to identify more households at risk of isolation and develop follow-up programs.
"Homeless people and elderly residents living alone must be having a hard time in this heat," District Chief Jeon said. "We will consistently seek out community-based, tailored support where residents look after one another, and build a tightly knit care community."
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