Seoul City Focuses on Protecting Vulnerable Groups Exhausted by COVID-19 and Heatwaves

Diversification of Heat Shelter Operations Including Outdoor and Safe Accommodations... Limited Opening of Community Centers
Welfare Checks for 30,600 Vulnerable Elderly During Heatwave Alerts... Expansion of IoT Device Installations

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 28th that it will strengthen protection measures for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and residents of jjokbang (small, cramped rooms) who are easily exposed to heatwave damage, as the prolonged COVID-19 situation continues and the full-scale heatwave begins.

First, the city plans to increase the number of heatwave shelters opened this summer and operate them at less than 50% of their capacity to minimize close contact. This is because small-scale cluster infections are spreading widely, raising concerns about the traditional heatwave shelters such as senior centers mainly used by the elderly who are vulnerable to infection, making it impossible to operate in the usual manner.

Outdoor heatwave shelters will be operated by utilizing existing shade or creating artificial shade in easily accessible locations for citizens such as parks, riverbanks, and under bridges.

During heatwave warnings, safe accommodations will also be operated for elderly people whose health and safety are at risk due to tropical nights. Targeted are low-income elderly households such as elderly living alone or elderly couples in poor residential environments like rooftop rooms without air conditioning or goshiwon (small, cheap rooms), vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. Each district office plans to sign MOUs with public and private institutions’ training center accommodations or private tourist hotels regarding room fees, designation of quarantine managers, and district office management plans.

Some large gymnasiums will also be opened as heatwave shelters. Large indoor facilities such as district office auditoriums and gymnasiums with natural ventilation will be designated as heatwave shelters to provide rest for vulnerable people exhausted by the heat. Additionally, 425 community centers will be opened to residents as heatwave shelters and operated with restrictions.

Welfare centers and senior centers, which were mainly operated as heatwave shelters until last year, will undergo on-site inspections regarding certain area sizes and well-ventilated spaces, and limited operation will be decided in July. Quarantine measures will be strengthened, including assigning dedicated quarantine managers, frequent ventilation, and maintaining distance between users.

For 30,675 vulnerable elderly people who require essential health management and welfare checks during heatwaves, welfare workers will strengthen welfare checks. During heatwave warnings, 2,596 life support workers will make daily calls to spread heatwave information and confirm the safety of the elderly. The number of IoT devices installed in households, which was 5,000 last year, will be expanded to 10,000 this year to prioritize safety checks and provide emergency support if indoor temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, cooling supplies such as 920 portable air conditioners, 2,147 coolers, and 27,608 cool mat kits will be distributed to vulnerable elderly people. For severely disabled elderly living alone, such as those with quadriplegia, activity support services will be intensively provided during the heatwave period in July and August. The heatwave countermeasure budget for households temporarily in crisis due to the heatwave will be doubled from 250 million KRW last year to 500 million KRW to expand Seoul-type emergency welfare support.

Furthermore, to protect jjokbang residents, two outdoor rest areas will be established at Seoul Station (Saekkum Children's Park) and Namdaemun jjokbang village (shared workshop). For indoor shelters, 10 heatwave shelters within jjokbang counseling center buildings (with a simultaneous capacity of 116 people) and 16 shelters for street homeless people (with a simultaneous capacity of 857 people) will be operated. The free meal center for homeless people, Ddaseuhan Chaeumteo, will pilot an RF card membership system to manage users.

Jung Jin-woo, Director of Welfare Planning at Seoul City, said, "With the early heatwave starting in June, stronger measures were necessary for the elderly and jjokbang residents who are going through difficult times. We will maintain a thorough quarantine system to protect vulnerable groups so that they can spend the summer healthily and safely."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.