Amid a prolonged heat wave and tropical nights, Gangseo-gu District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon visited heat-relief shelters Wednesday to check on the safety of elderly residents.
Jin visited the heat-relief shelter at Ujangsan Senior Center at 8:30 p.m. that day, carefully inspecting the operation of air-conditioning units and the overall condition of rest facilities.
He also exchanged greetings with elderly visitors, checked on their health and listened to any difficulties they had experienced while using the shelters.
On-site, residents raised requests including replacing aging air-conditioning units and installing more shade structures around senior centers. Jin immediately directed relevant department officials to draw up practical improvements without delay.
The inspection was joined by Assembly member Kim Min-seok, Democratic Party of Korea policy committee chairwoman Han Jeong-ae and defense committee chairman Jin Seong-jun, both of whom represent Gangseo constituencies.
After completing the site visit, the group moved to the district office's disaster and safety operations center to review broader heat-wave response measures, including protection of heat-vulnerable populations and prevention of heat-related illness.
The district has been expanding the use of senior centers as heat-relief shelters to protect elderly residents who are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat.
A total of 195 heat-relief shelters are currently open across the district — including community centers, welfare facilities and senior centers — of which 163 are designated as elderly heat-relief shelters. When a heat-wave advisory is issued, operating hours at some shelters are extended to as late as 10 p.m.
The district has also designated about 1,400 vulnerable individuals — including elderly people living alone — as recipients of tailored care, with their health monitored closely. Internet of Things technology tracks their condition in real time, with phone calls or home visits made when necessary.
"No matter how systematic and thorough our heat-wave measures are, what matters most is that they actually work on the ground and are carried out rigorously," Jin said. "Until the heat wave is over, I will continue to inspect the sites even more closely."
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