"Air Conditioner On and Door Opened to Attract Customers"... Government Neglecting Open-Door Cooling Policy

Enforcement Possible When Power Reserve Margin Falls Below 10%
No Cases Since 2016

“You have to keep the door open for customers to come in.”

Recently, as the heatwave continues, many stores have been keeping their doors wide open while running air conditioners. Since cooling with open doors significantly increases power consumption, there are calls for active enforcement and guidance.

Around 10 a.m. on the 1st, Myeongdong Street in Jung-gu, Seoul. Out of 52 shops along a 250-meter alley, 44 had their doors open with the air conditioners running.
[Photo by Shim Seong-a]

On the afternoon of the 1st, a store employee at a clothing shop in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul, said, “There is an issue with the air conditioner electricity bill, but keeping the door open definitely has a positive effect on sales.” Seo (35), an employee at a cosmetics store, explained, “Since all the nearby cosmetics shops are similar, if we don’t keep the door open like the others, customers won’t come in.” In fact, out of 52 stores lined up about 250 meters apart, 44 had their doors open. The Myeongdong street felt cool due to the stores keeping their doors wide open.

The situation was not much different in other areas. In the food alley of Galhyeon-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, most stores also kept their doors wide open while running air conditioners. Lee (29), an employee at a clothing store, said, “Usually, the air conditioner temperature is maintained around 23 degrees Celsius so that customers outside feel cool,” adding with a wry smile, “There is a big psychological difference for customers between doors being closed and open, so we have no choice but to keep them open.”

According to the Korea Energy Agency, power consumption in stores operating with open doors and air conditioning increases by about 66% compared to cooling with doors closed, and electricity bills rise by about 33%. However, there is no basis for enforcement or guidance at the local government level.

Under current law, enforcement against open-door cooling businesses can only be conducted when the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy issues an ‘energy use restriction measure’ in situations such as when the power reserve rate falls below 10%. This measure has not been issued since 2016, and in Seoul, the last actions were 121 warnings and 2 fines issued in August 2016. A Seoul city official stated, “Currently, all we can do is promotion or campaigns.”

Lee Kyung-seok, Secretary General of Environmental Justice, said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, ventilation was necessary, so open-door cooling was unavoidable. However, the fact that open-door cooling businesses are still rampant now is a problem,” and pointed out, “Regardless of the power reserve rate, local governments should be given enforcement authority to address the issue of running air conditioners with doors open.”

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