Jongno-gu Mobilizes All-Out Heatwave Measures for Jjokbang Residents... Comprehensive Health and Safety Protection

Intensive Management of Vulnerable Residents and Special Task Force Patrols Day and Night
Strengthening Customized Safety Nets with Night Shelters and Electricity Bill Support

Jongno-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Chung Moonheon), has launched comprehensive measures to protect residents of jjokbang (small room) areas from the ongoing heatwave.

On July 29, the district visited the jjokbang areas of Changsin-dong and Donui-dong to inspect the operation of cooling shelters and listen to residents’ concerns and feedback from the field. As of July 1, a total of 682 people reside in the jjokbang areas of Changsin-dong (185 residents) and Donui-dong (497 residents). The district is implementing a variety of tailored protection measures to ensure the safety of jjokbang residents during the heatwave.

First, management of vulnerable residents has been strengthened. For 40 individuals with limited mobility, such as the elderly and people with disabilities, visiting nurses check their health status daily and provide swift assistance in emergencies by coordinating with public health centers and local medical institutions. Priority is also given to the management of prescription medications, provision of nutritional supplements, and distribution of emergency relief supplies and daily necessities.

A special response team conducts patrols during the day (9:00?18:00) and at night (22:00?2:30) to monitor the jjokbang areas, carefully checking the operation of shared air conditioners. To maintain a pleasant environment, hygiene and sanitation measures have been reinforced, including disinfection and pesticide spraying in drains, alleys, and shared toilets, as well as cleaning cooling shelters and replacing air conditioner filters.

Individual household pest control is carried out twice a month until October. When a heatwave advisory is issued, water is sprayed from alley hydrants once or twice a day to mitigate the urban heat island effect (operation continues until October 15). During periods of extreme heat, cooling fog (mist spraying) is also deployed to reduce the perceived temperature.

Additionally, a nighttime shelter (Hyundaeok Sauna) operates daily from 18:00 to 7:00 until September 30, giving priority access to residents who are under special management or do not have air conditioners in their jjokbang rooms. The district also provides up to three months’ worth of electricity bills (up to 300,000 KRW per month) for 118 shared air conditioners in communal spaces from June to August, along with energy voucher and cooling cost support programs.

To address fire vulnerability, a safety network has been established through quarterly joint inspections and safety education in cooperation with the police and fire departments, as well as alley water-spraying operations with the fire department.

Chung Moonheon, Mayor of Jongno-gu, stated, “We will do our utmost to alleviate the hardships faced by jjokbang residents who are suffering from both financial difficulties and the heatwave,” adding, “We will focus all our resources on ensuring residents’ safety and protection, and strive to make Jongno a district with no blind spots in heatwave response.”

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