Operation of 53 Seongdong-type Smart Shelters Fulfills Roles of 'Safety' and 'Cold Wave Shelter'

4 More Smart Shelters Installed, 53 Total Operated Across Seongdong-gu, Open 24 Hours During Heavy Snow Warnings
Smart Shelter Users Surpass 5.1 Million by Late October, 1.4 Times More Than Visitors to 7 District Libraries

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jung Won-oh) will add four more Seongdong-type smart shelters this year, expanding the total number to 53 throughout the district.

On the chilly morning commute, despite the sharp drop in temperature, residents’ steps are lightened by the presence of smart shelters at Seongdong-gu bus stops. The Seongdong-type smart shelter, the nation’s first of its kind, was initially installed in August 2020 as a futuristic bus stop that is warm in winter and cool in summer. It also protects residents’ health from fine dust and exhaust fumes on the road and ensures safety in emergencies. The main features of the smart shelter include heating and cooling, air purification, bus arrival information, Wi-Fi, real-time CCTV monitoring inside, and wireless phone charging.

As of the end of October this year, the number of smart shelter users surpassed 5.1 million. This means that approximately 280,000 Seongdong-gu residents each visited a smart shelter more than 18 times, which is 1.4 times the total number of visitors to the district’s seven public libraries during the same period.

The district installed three smart shelters in the first half of this year and added one more at Ttukseom Station in mid-November, operating a total of 53 smart shelters. Emergency bells are installed in the shelters, and real-time CCTV monitoring is conducted, serving as safe spaces for residents.

Urgent situations within the shelters have been wisely handled by the prompt response of monitoring staff. In April, at 11 p.m., a case of dating violence occurred inside a shelter, and the monitoring staff reported it to the police, saving the woman. Also in the same month, a cardiac arrest patient was saved by the monitoring staff and a resident present in the shelter.

This year, 47 Hearing Loops, which help improve hearing for the hearing impaired, and 12 automated external defibrillators were installed. In line with Seongdong-gu’s slogan of a smart inclusive city, the shelters include thoughtful consideration and safety features for transportation-vulnerable groups.

The Seongdong-type smart shelters have attracted benchmarking visits from other local governments. This year, representatives from various countries, including Serbia and Tokyo Metropolis in Japan, have visited to learn Seongdong-gu’s unique know-how.

Preparing for the full winter season, the district is conducting thorough inspections and regular cleaning of all shelters to keep them clean. Additionally, the operating hours, previously from 4 a.m. to midnight, will be extended to 24 hours during heavy snow warnings.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “The Seongdong-type smart shelters are fulfilling their roles as safe and restful places close to residents. We will operate the smart shelters without disruption even during the severe cold wave, hoping they will help residents stay safe and warm throughout the winter.”