Severe Concentration of Heat Mitigation Facilities in the Seoul Metropolitan Area... Rural Regions Left Vulnerable [Workers in Crisis] ⑮

Infrastructure Shortages in Vulnerable Regions
National-Level Support Needed for Fairness

As the heatwave continues day after day, significant disparities in heat mitigation facilities across different regions have been observed. Experts point out that addressing these regional gaps is urgently needed to enhance the effectiveness of heatwave response measures.

On the 23rd of last month, citizens were waiting for the pedestrian signal under a shade structure at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

According to data from the office of Assemblyman Mo Kyungjong of the Democratic Party of Korea on August 29, as of the end of last month, there were 34,191 shade structures, 61,136 cooling shelters, and 781 cooling fog systems nationwide.

The gap between the Seoul metropolitan area and other regions was stark. By region, Gyeonggi Province had the highest number of shade structures at 13,254, while Ulsan had only 449. Gyeonggi Province also had 8,600 cooling shelters, but Sejong had just 501. The number of cooling fog systems varied greatly as well, with Seoul having 158, Incheon 96, Jeonbuk 13, Ulsan 10, and Sejong only 4. Notably, Gyeongbuk, which recorded the highest number of heatwave days nationwide this year, had just 1,353 shade structures, 6,062 cooling shelters, and 36 cooling fog systems installed.

Some local governments are implementing their own countermeasures, but equipment and budget remain insufficient. Since July 15, the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions have been using drones to monitor hazardous situations. An official from the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government explained, "In 11 cities and counties, we operate drones for four hours a day, focusing on farms and tourist sites with large crowds, to broadcast guidance and monitor outdoor activities."

Park Jonghwa, Associate Research Fellow at the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, said, "The availability of heat mitigation facilities can vary depending on the level of interest in heatwaves, budgets, and local conditions. Regions lacking sufficient heatwave response measures require support that ensures fairness at the national level. It is now necessary to address not only quantitative differences in heat mitigation facilities but also qualitative differences, such as accessibility and floating population."

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