Mayor Kim Kyoungil Announces Expansion of 'One Sip Rest Areas' to Protect Citizens' Health During Heatwave

Paju City Expands 'One Sip Rest Areas' to 13 Locations
Six New Sites Added at Munsan, Unjeong, Geumneung Stations and Wollong, Gwangtan, Jeokseong

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province announced that, as a measure to prevent heat-related illnesses and other health risks for residents during the heatwave, it will expand the operation of its 'One Sip Rest Areas'?which have been installed and operated since July 22?to a total of 13 locations starting August 6.

Paju City, 13 'One Sip Rest Areas'. Provided by Paju City

The 'One Sip Rest Area' initiative involves installing outdoor refrigerators in areas with high foot traffic, allowing any Paju resident to freely take and drink cold bottled water as a countermeasure against the extreme heat. First launched at five locations?including the GTX Unjeong Central Station?on July 22, the program expanded to seven sites on July 28 with the addition of Geumchon Station and Gyoha Central Park. As a result, more citizens have been using the service, and its popularity has spread by word of mouth.

As the heatwave intensified and 'One Sip Rest Areas' began to appear across the city, Paju residents responded immediately and enthusiastically. With a surge in requests for expansion from various neighborhoods, the city actively accepted the feedback and decided to add six more locations.

After closely reviewing citizen feedback and user reviews collected through various channels?including Instagram, Paju City's official social media accounts, and local online communities?the city improved accessibility and convenience by strategically placing the new rest areas at key locations such as Munsan Station, Unjeong Station, the central plaza at Geumneung Station, and the areas of Wollong, Gwangtan, and Jeokseong, taking regional balance into consideration.

Paju residents' reactions to the 'One Sip Rest Areas,' which have started appearing throughout the city during the intensifying heatwave, have been extremely immediate and enthusiastic. On Paju City's official social media channels, including Instagram, positive responses such as "This is a great idea," "Paju City deserves praise," and "Thank you, Paju City" have poured in, along with expressions of civic pride regarding the policy initiative.

The city plans to continue developing and implementing citizen-centered policies to help residents cope with the extreme heat.

Kim Kyoungil, Mayor of Paju City, stated, "The 'One Sip Rest Area' is not just a refrigerator sharing cold water, but a channel for communication aimed at protecting the safety and health of our citizens. We will continue to listen to the voices of our citizens and expand policies that everyone can truly feel."

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