Calls to Reconsider Heated and Cooled Benches Installed at Sejong City Bus Stops

Kim Hyosook of Sejong City Council:
"Efficiency Should Be Improved by Focusing on Rain-Sheltered Stops and Heated Benches"

Kim Hyosook, Sejong City Councilor affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea

There have been calls for improvements in the budget efficiency and operational effectiveness of the heated and cooled bench installation project at bus stops in Sejong City.

Currently, a total of 292 benches have been installed at bus stops, including 228 heated and cooled benches and 64 heated benches. The installation cost per bench is up to 3 million won, and the monthly maintenance cost is up to 40,000 won. In addition, approximately 48 more heated and cooled benches are scheduled to be installed using a special government grant of about 150 million won.

On October 13, Sejong City Councilor Kim Hyosook stated in a free speech session, "Various issues have arisen in terms of budget execution and effectiveness due to the installation of heated and cooled benches intended to provide comfort during heat waves and cold spells. More than 100 million won is spent annually on maintenance alone, yet frequent malfunctions sometimes prevent the benches from being used when needed."

She continued, "Out of a total of 1,436 bus stops, nearly half-670-are pillar-type stops without roofs, leaving them fully exposed to rain and sunlight. It would be more effective to first expand rain-sheltered bus stops and, if necessary, to increase the number of relatively inexpensive and less failure-prone heated benches, rather than focusing on heated and cooled benches," proposing a more efficient allocation of the budget.

She also pointed out, "At BRT bus stops, the short intervals between buses mean that waiting times are brief, so the use of cooling benches is low. Customized installations that reflect the characteristics and needs of each area are necessary."

The fact that heated and cooled benches operate 24 hours a day, resulting in unnecessary power consumption during tropical nights or abnormal weather, was also highlighted.

She suggested actively introducing measures such as using cooling covers with low thermal conductivity to lower bench temperatures in summer and reducing the inflow of cold air in winter, all without using electricity.

Councilor Kim emphasized, "While citizen transportation welfare, budget savings, and energy conservation are all important values, a balanced policy decision is needed to wisely allocate the budget in light of increasingly challenging fiscal conditions. Instead of indiscriminately expanding heated and cooled benches, please consider installing rain-sheltered bus stops and heated benches tailored to local characteristics and demand, and establish measures to improve maintenance efficiency and energy-saving operations."