[Photo] Jeong Munheon, Mayor of Jongno-gu, Visits Donui-dong Goshiwon Village to Inspect Heatwave Situation

[Seoul District Mayors' Photo News] Jeong Munheon, Mayor of Jongno-gu, visits Donui-dong Shelter and nearby areas on the morning of the 4th to inspect residents' heatwave damage... Kim Gilsung, Mayor of Jung-gu, forms Heatwave Countermeasures Headquarters on first day in office, conducts 1:1 check-ins, provides livelihood, medical, utility support, air conditioners, fans, and daily 1,000 bottles of ice water with 'Visiting Heatwave Safety Education'... Oh Eonseok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, visits Dokkaebi Market, Ssangmun Market, Changdong Sinchang Market, Changdong Alley Market, Sindobong Market, Ssangridan-gil shopping district to encourage merchants amid rising raw material costs.

Jung Moonheon, Mayor of Jongno-gu (left), visited the jjokbangchon to inspect heatwave countermeasures.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] On the morning of the 4th, Jeong Mun-heon, Mayor of Jongno-gu, visited the Donui-dong shelter counseling center and the surrounding shelter village area to check on the residents' heatwave damage situation.

Mayor Jeong stated, "With the continuous heatwave, there is great concern about heat-related illnesses among vulnerable groups," adding, "We will devise practical support measures to ensure that all residents, including those living in shelters, can safely get through this summer."

Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, Seoul (photo), took action to protect residents safely from the early onset of scorching heat.

On the 2nd, as the heatwave warning was upgraded from the 'caution' to the 'alert' level, heatwave response measures were strengthened.

Mayor Kim immediately formed a heatwave response headquarters and entered an emergency operation system on the first day of his term, July 1, when the heatwave warning was first issued.

He matched 2,090 vulnerable residents, including elderly living alone, with district office staff on a one-to-one basis to promptly check on their well-being by phone. If contact was not made or heat-related illnesses occurred, staff from the local community centers and medical personnel visited immediately to provide emergency treatment.

Additionally, a 'Heatwave Vulnerable Emergency Welfare Support System' was established. Households facing difficulties due to job loss or business suspension caused by the heatwave receive living expenses support; vulnerable groups with high medical expenses due to heat-related illnesses receive medical cost assistance; and households struggling with increased utility bills from higher electricity and water usage receive up to 1 million KRW in utility bill support.

To eliminate blind spots in heatwave response, 143 air conditioners and 160 fans are provided to basic livelihood security recipients and others. Also, 1,300 'Heatwave Prevention Kits' containing eight items such as parasols, sunscreen, and sports towels are produced and distributed to vulnerable groups.

For households not yet equipped with cooling appliances, 65 indoor cooling shelters and 10 safe accommodations have been opened. The district fully covers the cost and arrangement of safe accommodations where residents can stay cool away from their hot homes.

At outdoor cooling shelters, 1,000 bottles of iced water are supplied daily. Parasols, which can reduce the perceived temperature by 3 to 7 degrees Celsius, are made easily accessible to residents through 16 'Parasol Rental Stations' installed throughout neighborhoods.

Considering the urban characteristics of low greenery and dense buildings, road watering operations are conducted to prevent the heat island effect. Up to 12 watering trucks spray cold water frequently from main city roads to neighborhood alleys.

For on-site workers at construction sites and other locations vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, a 'Heatwave Rest Time System' has been introduced. Compliance with rest times is also directly inspected on-site.

Starting from the 18th, 'Visiting Heatwave Safety Education' will be conducted at 15 senior centers. Elderly users will be educated on heatwave preparedness actions and emergency treatment for heat-related illnesses.

Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, emphasized, "We must ensure that no residents suffer from the early arrival of this scorching heat compared to last year," and added, "We will establish a thorough heatwave response system without blind spots to protect residents safely."

Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, visited six traditional markets and shopping districts within the area on the first weekend of his term, July 2, to listen to the difficulties of market merchants and communicate with residents.

Mayor Oh personally visited Banghak-dong Dokkaebi Market, Ssangmun Market, Changdong Sinchang Market, Changdong Alley Market, Sindobong Market, and Ssangri Dan-gil shopping district, which many residents visit on weekends. He encouraged merchants struggling with rising raw material costs such as flour and cooking oil and exchanged opinions on ways to revitalize the merchant association and local commercial districts.

Dobong-gu is promoting projects to revitalize traditional market use, including market managers, delivery service support, sales counter improvements, and installation of evaporative cooling devices. This year, with more active support, the district plans to continue modernizing traditional market facilities and management through ▲ expansion construction of the community center in Ssangri Dan-gil ▲ expansion of online delivery services ▲ installation of fire alarm facilities.

Mayor Oh Eon-seok said, "We will provide multifaceted support to revitalize and strengthen the competitiveness of traditional markets so that they can become the center of the local economy as community communication spaces where residents share affection."

Inspection of Gaehwa Yukgapmun Site

Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, began his duties on July 1, the first day of his term, by visiting flood-prone sites to ensure the safety of residents.

On the morning of the 1st, Mayor Kim, along with district officials, inspected the Gaehwa lock gate and conducted a safety check following the recent heavy rains.

The Gaehwa lock gate is a lock installed on land that usually allows cars and pedestrians to pass but closes when the Han River water level rises to prevent river water from flooding inland.

With the Han River water level rising significantly due to continuous heavy monsoon rains, if the lock gate fails to operate properly during a flood or similar emergency, significant human and material damage could occur.

Moreover, since the Gaehwa lock gate is located at the gateway to Gaehwa-dong and Banghwa-dong, there is concern about even greater damage.

Therefore, Mayor Kim began his first official act in the 8th local government term by inspecting safety conditions caused by heavy rain before the inauguration ceremony. This demonstrated his commitment to prioritizing residents' lives and safety above all.

At the site, Mayor Kim inspected the lock gate facilities and received reports on damage caused by the heavy rain. He carefully checked the condition of the lock gate, including the proper operation of the hoist, a machine that raises or lowers the sluice gate.

Mayor Kim Tae-woo said, "We will thoroughly inspect vulnerable areas and flood control facilities in the region to prevent damage to residents from wind and flood disasters," adding, "We will build a flawless safety net prioritizing residents' safety."

At 3 p.m. that day, the inauguration ceremony for the 8th term Gangseo-gu mayor was held at the Woojang Hall of the Gangseo-gu Citizens' Hall. At the event, Mayor Kim announced the 'Five Major District Administration Pledges': ▲ Magok development across all Gangseo areas ▲ Making Gangseo a good place to raise children ▲ Walking together with socially vulnerable groups ▲ A Gangseo full of culture and arts ▲ A safe Gangseo free from hateful and hazardous facilities.

Jeon Seong-su, Seocho District Mayor, Visits Yangjaecheon Restoration Site

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, started his first day at Seocho-gu Office on July 1 by visiting the Seocho-gu Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters located on the 4th floor to check the heavy rain situation and carefully inspect major local rivers such as Yangjaecheon, urging for residents' safety and swift recovery of daily life. (photo)

Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) has been conducting continuous flood control operations to minimize resident damage amid heavy rains totaling 249mm (as of June 30) since June 28.

The district proactively issued a Level 1 emergency duty order from 10 p.m. on June 28 and swiftly prepared for wind and flood disasters. A total of 150 personnel (from the disaster headquarters, rainwater pumping stations, river patrol teams, community centers, etc.) were mobilized to remove and dredge rainwater inlet covers in flood-prone areas and promptly control river access, ensuring thorough situation management.

Additionally, a separate mobile team of nine members continuously patrolled flood-prone areas (around Gangnam Station, Sadang Station, etc.) to eliminate flood risk factors and used pumps to resolve some flood complaints.

From July 1, after the rain stopped, the district expanded equipment deployment, including 14 bobcats, 7 water cleaning trucks, 4 backhoes, and 4 dump trucks, to swiftly complete river maintenance and focus on restoration. Immediate maintenance was conducted at locations such as the undersides of Yeongdong 1 and 2 bridges, waterside stages, stepping stones on Yangjaecheon; Maehyeon Bridge and underpass on Yeoui Stream; and the undersides of Banpo Stream bridges, Picheondeuk-gil, and Hemingway-gil entrances. Safety threats were carefully checked, and convenience facilities such as signboards, benches, and fences were quickly repaired to prevent resident inconvenience. Related staff worked through the weekend to normalize river openings.

Furthermore, local related agencies provided support. Among them, Seocho Police Station greatly assisted with traffic control and vehicle detours at underpasses leading to major rivers (Yangjaecheon, Banpo Stream, Yeoui Stream) in cooperation with the district office.

The district also formed a park and green space patrol team to thoroughly patrol parks, green spaces, forests, and farms, actively addressing complaints, not only in Bangbae-dong, where a landslide warning was issued due to heavy rain.

Mayor Jeon Seong-su of Seocho-gu stated, "Together with all staff, we will continuously monitor flood control areas and do our best to ensure residents' safety, carefully addressing any inconveniences caused by the continuous heavy rains."