[Photo] Seongjanghyeon, Yongsan District Mayor, Inspects Heatwave Shelters in Preparation for Heatwave

Seong Jang-hyun, Yongsan District Mayor, Inspects Cooling Centers and Safe Lodgings for the Elderly... Ryu Gyeong-gi, Jungnang District Mayor, Checks Elderly Cooling Centers Amid Continuous Heatwave... Yoo Deok-yeol, Dongdaemun District Mayor, Inspects Dapsimni 3-dong Elderly Cooling Center... Chae Hyun-il, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, Conducts On-site Inspection of Seonyudo Library Operations... Seodaemun District Shows Warmth to Sister City Jangheung-gun Affected by Floods... Lee Seon-hee Fan Club Donates 50 Electric Fans to Yongsan Welfare Foundation

Yongsan District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun Inspects Heatwave Shelters and Safe Lodgings

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Amid nationwide heatwaves, Yongsan District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun visited local heatwave shelters at senior centers and nighttime safe lodgings on the 28th to check the heatwave response status.

Mayor Seong first visited the Samgakji Senior Center (5 Itaewon-ro 2-gil), inspecting the proper operation of air conditioners and the installation status of heatwave shelter signs. He then spoke with the elderly using the facility and listened to their difficulties.

Mayor Seong said to the seniors, “This week alone, heat-related illnesses have exceeded 250 cases nationwide, with some fatalities. I hope vulnerable seniors especially make good use of the shelters to prevent heat-related illnesses.”

He then inspected the nighttime shelter, the Namyeong-dong Safe Lodging. Together with the lodging manager, he checked the condition of the rooms and emergency contact networks, urging careful attention to ensure no inconvenience for residents using the facility.

The district operates 132 heatwave shelters. Senior centers (87 locations) are the most numerous, followed by community service centers (16 locations). Senior centers operate from 1 PM to 5 PM, and community centers from 9 AM to 6 PM. During heatwave warnings in July and August, nighttime safe lodgings are also operated for vulnerable residential groups.

The safe lodging is located in Namyeong-dong near Sookdaeipgu Station. In June, the district signed a facility operation agreement with New World Hotel (21-13 Hangang-daero 84-gil) in the area.

The target users are low-income vulnerable residents without air conditioning, including seniors aged 60 or older living alone and elderly couples. Those interested can apply at their local community service center.

Selected seniors can enter the safe lodging by presenting a free-use voucher issued in advance by the community center when a heatwave warning is issued. Up to 12 rooms can be used per day, and families can stay up to two people per room.

Mayor Seong Jang-hyun said, “There are still many heatwave-vulnerable seniors in Yongsan, such as those in the Namyeong-dong rooming house district and the Yongsan Station homeless area. We will continue to expand heatwave shelters and safe lodgings to prevent any casualties from the heatwave.”

Jungnang District Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi Checks Heatwave Shelters Amid Continuous Heatwave

On the afternoon of the 29th, Jungnang District Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi visited the Samho Apartment Senior Center in Myeonmok 4-dong, which operates as a heatwave shelter.

On this day, Mayor Ryu personally checked on the well-being of seniors visiting the center, confirmed COVID-19 prevention measures, and inspected the operation of air conditioners. The inspections will continue focusing on 12 private senior centers in the area until August 2.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi said, “This is a time when seniors’ health is of greater concern due to the ongoing heatwave alongside COVID-19. We will spare no effort to help local seniors stay healthy this summer.”

The district operates 127 heatwave shelters for seniors who have passed 14 days after COVID-19 vaccination.

Dongdaemun District Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol Inspects Dapsimni 3-dong Senior Center Heatwave Shelter

As the heatwave continues, Dongdaemun District Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol visited heatwave shelters at senior centers on the afternoon of the 29th for inspection.

Mayor Yoo visited Dapsimni 3-dong Senior Center and Changbang Senior Center, carefully checking for any inconveniences experienced by seniors using the shelters and urging officials to operate safely without COVID-19 infection risks.

Dongdaemun District has designated and operates a total of 164 heatwave shelters, including 131 senior centers, Dongdaemun District Office, 14 community service centers, 12 cultural facilities, Dongdaemun Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, Jangan Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, Dongdaemun Senior Welfare Center, Dongdaemun Disabled Welfare Center, Woori Sarang Home Care Support Center, and the Korean Senior Citizens Association Dongdaemun Branch.

To prevent COVID-19 spread, capacity is limited, and all shelters have designated quarantine managers to ensure safe operation.

Senior center heatwave shelters operate weekdays from 1 PM to 5 PM, and other general shelters operate weekdays from 9 AM to 6 PM. During heatwave warnings, extended shelters operate at community centers and Dongdaemun Senior Welfare Center.

The extended shelter at Dongdaemun Senior Welfare Center operates weekdays from 6 PM to 9 PM, and weekends and holidays from 9 AM to 9 PM. Extended shelters at community centers operate weekdays from 6 PM to 7 PM, and weekends and holidays from 9 AM to 6 PM.

Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol said, “With the ongoing heatwave, I inspected to ensure seniors can safely use the heatwave shelters. We will do our best to help vulnerable seniors stay healthy and safe this summer.”

Besides heatwave shelters, the district leads safety protection for vulnerable seniors by monitoring indoor temperatures of households through a safety and health management solution for elderly living alone, guiding them to move to heatwave shelters if temperatures exceed 30°C.

Yeongdeungpo District Mayor Chae Hyun-il Inspects Seonyudo Library Operations

On the afternoon of the 29th, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor Chae Hyun-il checked the operation status of the book reservation, lending, and return machines at Seonyudo Library located in Yangpyeong-dong.

Despite restrictions on library use due to COVID-19, Yeongdeungpo District expanded book reservation lending machines in May and has been providing the “Tomorrow Dream” service, allowing users to reserve books one day in advance and pick them up at the counter.

Considering students’ vacations and the heatwave, the district plans to partially reopen reading rooms and reference rooms in the library starting from the 30th of this month.

On this day, Mayor Chae thoroughly inspected the non-face-to-face service operation status and COVID-19 quarantine measures within the facility ahead of the library’s reopening.

Seodaemun District Sends Aid to Sister City Jangheung County Affected by Floods

Seodaemun District (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) delivered relief supplies to Jangheung County, Jeollanam-do, which suffered damage from heavy rains earlier this month, on the 28th.

The district promoted this support to share solidarity with the disaster recovery efforts of its sister city, Jangheung County, and, with sponsorship from the Seodaemun District Social Welfare Council (Chairperson Choi Ae-young), delivered 50 electric fans and 100 blankets.

The items were prepared considering the damage recovery status and residents’ needs and were sent by mail to maintain social distancing.

Mayor Moon Seok-jin said, “I hope residents suffering from the double hardship of COVID-19 and heavy rains can return to their daily lives as soon as possible.”

Seodaemun District and Jangheung County have maintained active exchanges since their sister city agreement in 2013, including holiday direct trade markets, the Seodaemun Independence and Democracy Festival, and the Jangheung Water Festival.

Lee Sun-hee Fan Club Donates 50 Electric Fans to Yongsan Welfare Foundation

The official community of singer Lee Sun-hee’s fan club, Daum Cafe LeeSunhee.com, donated 50 electric fans to the Yongsan Welfare Foundation (Chairman Lee Sang-yong) on the 29th.

This donation commemorates Lee Sun-hee’s 37th debut anniversary and supports vulnerable groups during the summer. No separate ceremony was held due to the COVID-19 situation.

A fan club representative said, “We wanted to help low-income residents struggling with the ongoing heatwave and COVID-19 resurgence. We hope everyone stays healthy through the rest of the summer.”

The foundation plans to distribute the donated items to low-income households in the area.

Lee Sang-yong, chairman of the Yongsan Welfare Foundation, said, “Congratulations on singer Lee Sun-hee’s 37th debut anniversary. We also deeply thank the fan club members for practicing neighborly love instead of holding a commemorative event.”

Since her debut, singer Lee Sun-hee has consistently engaged in charitable acts, including helping children with heart disease and supporting child-headed households. Her fan club has also actively participated in donations and volunteer activities aligned with her efforts.

In May, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Lee Sun-hee’s official website, the fan club, together with the agricultural corporation Matjeong Co., Ltd., donated support items (food and rice cakes, 20 sets) for elderly living alone to the Yongsan Welfare Foundation.

Jungnang District and Jungnang Police Station Sign MOU for a Safer Jungnang

Jungnang District (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Jungnang Police Station on the 29th to create a safe city free from crime and disasters.

This agreement was established to build a cooperative system between the district and Jungnang Police Station in areas closely related to residents’ lives following the launch of the Seoul Autonomous Police Commission on July 1.

The main contents of the agreement include ▲establishing a cooperative system for creating a safe living environment through crime prevention ▲expanding crime prevention infrastructure in areas such as public safety, traffic, and community ▲promoting public-private cooperation safety culture campaigns.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi said, “Through this MOU, we hope to implement customized security measures for residents and create an environment where residents can live safely and securely in their communities.”

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