A Heatwave Essential... But Why Is It Missing in My Neighborhood?

As extreme heatwaves become a regular part of daily life, significant disparities have been found in the installation of heatwave mitigation facilities across Seoul's districts. Concerns are being raised that differences in the capacity to respond to climate disasters may lead to inequalities in citizens' right to health.

Disparities in Heatwave Mitigation Facilities Across Seoul Districts... Leading to Differences in Citizens' Right to Health

On August 19, Asia Economy analyzed the number of heatwave shade tents in Seoul's 25 districts (as of August this year) and the floating population by district (as of the first quarter of this year) to determine the number of shade tents installed per one million people. Songpa-gu ranked highest with 3.35 shade tents per million people, followed by Geumcheon-gu (3.09), Jung-gu (3.01), Gwangjin-gu (2.95), Seocho-gu (2.82), and Yongsan-gu (2.67).

Mapo-gu was the only district with fewer than one shade tent per one million people, at 0.72. The gap between the highest and lowest districts is as much as 4.65 times. Regarding this, an official from the Mapo-gu district office stated, "We will actively consider additional installations, focusing on areas vulnerable to heatwaves."

Even standing briefly under the scorching sun, it's hard to breathe

On the afternoon of the 10th, when a heatwave warning was issued across Seoul, citizens are waiting for the signal while escaping the heat under a shade tent at Sejongno Intersection in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

It feels livable when I can avoid the sunlight under a shade tent

Smart shade installed in Gangdong-gu. Provided by Gangdong-gu.

Heatwave shade tents serve as "shadows on the street," providing shelter for pedestrians exposed to extreme heat. They are mainly installed in densely populated pedestrian areas where there is little space to escape the sun, such as near crosswalks at large intersections. First introduced in Seocho-gu in 2015 under the name "Seoripul Wondumak," the initiative has since spread nationwide. Some districts, such as Yangcheon-gu, have even introduced smart shade tents equipped with temperature and wind speed sensors, allowing for automatic opening and closing. Kim, a 76-year-old resident of Nowon-gu, said, "There is a huge difference depending on whether there is a shade tent at the crosswalk or not. The longer you have to stand, the harder it is to breathe, but even just one shade makes it much less exhausting."

A Heatwave Essential... But Why Is It Missing in My Neighborhood?

Shade Tents: Most in Songpa, Least in Mapo... Cooling Fog: Most in Seocho with 19, None in Songpa

There were also large disparities in the installation of cooling fog systems across districts. Cooling fog is an outdoor cooling facility that effectively lowers street temperatures by spraying fine water mist using high-pressure pumps during the summer. As of August this year, Seocho-gu had the most with 19 installations, followed by Yeongdeungpo with 16 and Jung-gu with 15.

Highly effective in lowering street temperatures

A heatwave warning has been issued for the southwestern area of Seoul, and citizens are resting in the shade where cooling fog is emitted at Yeouido Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Taking a short break under the cooling fog completely relieves the heat

In contrast, Gangbuk-gu, where 25% of the population is aged 65 or older-a group particularly vulnerable to heatwaves-had only two cooling fog installations. Songpa-gu, which has the largest resident population in Seoul at 650,000, had zero cooling fog systems. An official from the Songpa-gu district office explained, "We removed the previously installed cooling fog systems due to numerous complaints from residents who disliked being sprayed with water of unverified quality. There are currently no plans for future installations."

The appearance of the Seoul Station shantytown captured by a thermal imaging camera after the cooling fog was released. Photo by Yonhap News

According to a 2021 study published in the Korean Journal of Climate Change Research, titled "A Study on the Estimated Temperature Reduction Effect of Urban Heatwave Response Projects" (Yang Hojin, Lee Gwangjin, Bae Minki, Lee Chaeyeon), cooling fog systems were found to lower the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) by one level. The evaporation of fine water droplets in the air absorbs surrounding heat, creating a cooling effect that makes people feel less hot.

Rooted in Budget and Priority Differences by District... Need to Strengthen Infrastructure in the Era of Heatwave Disasters

Such disparities in heatwave mitigation facilities between districts stem from differences in budget conditions and priorities. As heatwaves have become a disaster, there is a growing call for cities to redesign their infrastructure to respond accordingly.

Lee Junyi, a professor at the Climate Science Research Institute at Pusan National University, advised, "Each local government should reprioritize its climate response budget, while the central government needs to prioritize support for vulnerable districts." Yoon Soonjin, a professor at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Seoul National University, also emphasized, "As heatwaves have become a disaster, infrastructure and systems to respond to them must be strengthened. The location of heatwave mitigation facilities should be determined based on both efficiency and equity."