[Report] "They say this winter is especially cold..." Homeless People on the Streets Face Emergency Winter Survival Challenges

Winter 'Cold Wave' Forecast... Calls for Measures to Protect Homeless People on the Streets
Seoul City Takes Action to 'Protect Cold Wave Vulnerable Groups'
Civic Groups "Homeless Facilities Vulnerable to COVID Infection... Also Inappropriate as Housing"

Homeless people living around Seoul Station on the afternoon of the 15th./Photo by Kim Seohyun ssn3592@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Homeless man A, whom we met near a subway station in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, was tidying up his shelter made by weaving together piles of cardboard and cloth. His face was reddened from the cold, and he said, "Because of reports from passersby, I hide my spot during rush hour when I go out to work."

On the day we met Mr. A (the 15th), the lowest temperature in Seoul was 5 degrees Celsius, a harsh weather condition for sleeping outdoors. When the reporter asked, "Isn't it cold to sleep outside?" Mr. A replied bluntly, "It's very cold. But wouldn't winter be cold?" He then buttoned up his clothes tightly and headed elsewhere.

The first snowfall this year came 30 days earlier than last year. The cause is cold air around minus 50 degrees Celsius over the Arctic, brought down to the Korean Peninsula due to global warming, leading to forecasts that this winter's cold will also be severe. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's three-month weather forecast on the 10th, the average monthly temperature from November to January next year is expected to be similar to or lower than the normal average.

However, homeless people, who are vulnerable during the winter season, still live on the streets. According to Seoul city statistics from last February, the total number of street homeless people in Seoul (excluding those admitted to facilities) was 596, with about 250 of them staying near Seoul Station.

In response, voices are rising demanding measures to help street homeless people survive the cold wave. The Homeless Memorial Joint Planning Group, composed of various civil society organizations such as Homeless Action and the Poverty Solidarity, held a press conference last January urging the government to take emergency action regarding the reality of homeless people whose lives are threatened by the cold.

They stated, "Urgent housing support is needed for street homeless people during this period," and urged, "Provide safe shelters for homeless people and residents living in inadequate housing such as jjokbang (tiny rooms) and gosiwon (small dormitory rooms)."

On the afternoon of the 15th, a homeless person is sleeping near Seoul Station./Photo by Seohyun Kim ssn3592@

Civil organizations pointed out that winter measures for street homeless people need to be further strengthened. Donghyun Lee, a standing activist of Homeless Action, said, "Looking at the winter measures, many still involve temporary shelters where multiple people sleep together. These have shared restrooms, bathrooms, and washrooms, making them vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, and they are not suitable as proper housing for people to live in," adding, "They are simply repeating pre-COVID-19 homeless policies."

Regarding the negative perception toward homeless people, he said, "The reason temporary shelters are recommended to homeless people is economically advantageous because it costs less to house multiple people in one space than to provide individual housing support," and added, "Accepting such housing as normal for the poor is based on the premise that poor people are second-class citizens who must endure vulnerable housing conditions. This perception must be changed."

Meanwhile, local governments have begun preparing countermeasures. Starting from the 15th, Seoul City will activate its 'Comprehensive Winter Measures' and focus on protecting vulnerable groups susceptible to cold waves, including the homeless, vulnerable elderly, jjokbang residents, low-income households, and people with disabilities. The number of street counseling personnel in homeless-dense areas will also be increased to 132.

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