Dobong District Office Creates Cooling Spots... Yeongdeungpo and Yangcheon Districts Operate Water Facilities like Ground Fountains... Gwangjin District Provides Cooling Supplies such as Fans to Vulnerable Groups... Jungnang and Mapo Districts Conduct Pre-Inspections for Heavy Rain Preparedness
"We are putting all our efforts into responding to the ongoing heatwaves and heavy rains caused by abnormal weather patterns."
Oh Eon-seok, the mayor of Dobong-gu, Seoul, recently told reporters this.
Every year, the severity of heatwaves worsens. Heavy rains are also concentrated regionally, so vigilance in response cannot be relaxed. Accordingly, Seoul’s autonomous districts are making thorough preparations to prevent damage not only from heatwaves but also from heavy rains. Immediate measures focus on heatwave evacuation plans, operation of water features such as ground fountains, and street cleaning with water.
Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) turned the district office into a summer retreat again this year. From June 24, the district office’s 1st and 2nd floors will be operated as cooling shelters for three months. They will be open to residents every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., including weekdays, weekends, and holidays. This year, the first floor was designed with a resort concept, placing parasols, tables, and other beach-themed items throughout to create the feeling of being at a vacation spot. The second floor transformed the existing seminar rooms into themed spaces by room. These include a healing room equipped with massage chairs and air purifiers, a playroom filled with children’s playground equipment, and a video room where visitors can watch TV. Additionally, the district operates 84 shaded shelters, 8 cooling fog facilities, 6 smart shelters, and 88 other heat reduction facilities this year. Especially in areas with high foot traffic such as crosswalks and parks, smart shaded shelters that automatically open by sensing external wind speed and temperature have been expanded. Moreover, pergola-type cooling fog and wire-type cooling fog were installed in the district office plaza and the entrance to Dobongsan Mountain, respectively. Cooling fog is a heat reduction facility that sprays water mist during heatwaves to lower surrounding temperatures and reduce fine dust. Mayor Oh Eon-seok said, "With the creation of these cooling shelters, we expect residents to enjoy a summer vacation right in front of their homes without having to go out of town. We hope people will spend a fun and exciting summer here beyond just simple rest."
Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) is fully operating 19 water features including ground fountains. The 19 locations, which include ground fountains (Dangsan Neighborhood Park and 6 other sites), wall fountains (Yeongdeungpo Park and 4 other sites), ponds (Mullae Neighborhood Park and 2 other sites), and general fountains (Kkotdam Small Park and 3 other sites), have already started operation. During the peak summer season, water play areas such as Mokhwa Village Yard, Shinwoo Children's Park, Wonji Children's Park, and Yeongdeungpo Park will begin operation on July 6 after water quality inspections.
Water features installed along streets, green belts, and parks serve as spaces for rest, relaxation, and play, while also lowering surrounding temperatures and purifying the air by removing fine dust. Mayor Choi Ho-kwon said, "We will strive to manage parks and convenience facilities so that families, friends, and couples can all cool off and relax in the city. We will do our best to create leisure spaces for residents by revitalizing surrounding green belts and gardens harmonized with flowers centered around water features."
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) has fully activated 18 major water features including the ground fountain at Paris Park in Mok-dong and the Anyangcheon water playground starting this month to allow residents to enjoy cool rest near their homes in the city.
The water features in operation include 5 ground fountains, 3 general fountains, 5 ponds/streams, and 5 water playgrounds, totaling 18 locations. Currently, 11 sites such as the Paris Park ground fountain, Hakmaeul Fountain Plaza, and Yangcheon Park stream walking trail are operating early. Notably, the Yangcheon Park stream walking trail continuously operates cooling fog to maintain comfortable air quality during heatwave hours. Mayor Lee Gi-jae said, "Ahead of the full summer season, we are operating 18 water features so residents can briefly escape the heat and create joyful memories close to home. We will ensure thorough water quality and facility management to provide a safe and clean resting place."
Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) is strengthening street cleaning with water to mitigate the urban heat island effect.
Starting this month, the district has deployed six water spraying trucks mainly on multi-lane roads where watering is most effective and efficient. The street cleaning schedule, previously conducted 2 to 3 times daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., has been intensified to 5 to 6 times daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In addition, street cleaning is carried out throughout the district, including major school routes and subway station areas with high foot traffic, as well as side streets, traditional markets, and construction sites, to maintain a pleasant environment.
Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) supports cooling appliances such as fans for 160 low-income households vulnerable to summer heatwaves. The district operates this cooling appliance support project annually to help energy-vulnerable groups have a healthy summer and prevent heatwave damage.
The target beneficiaries are low-income households residing in Gwangjin-gu with a standard median income of 120% or less, including basic livelihood security recipients. Welfare planners from each neighborhood will visit the target households in June to deliver the items. The supported items are seat fans preferred by vulnerable groups, equipped with remote controls for easy operation by elderly living alone or anyone with difficulty. Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said, "We are expanding the number of beneficiaries this year to improve the quality of life for heatwave-vulnerable groups by providing cooling appliances. We will continue to actively develop various support measures so that all residents can spend summer healthily and safely without welfare blind spots."
Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) recently conducted a joint inspection with Baek Seung-eon, chief of Jungnang Police Station, to minimize flood and wind damage ahead of the summer rainy season.
The inspection targeted major disaster prevention facilities and dangerous sections within rivers. Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi and Chief Baek Seung-eon visited the sites to carefully check for any facilities needing maintenance or potential hazards. They first visited the 'Myeonmok Rainwater Pump Station,' the largest pumping facility in Jungnang-gu, to inspect its operation status and flood response plans. The Myeonmok Rainwater Pump Station operates 11 motor pumps to discharge rainwater into rivers during heavy rains, preventing flooding in residential areas.
They also patrolled the confluence of Jungnangcheon and Myeonmokcheon, a major hazardous section within the rivers. Discussions were held regarding cooperation among related agencies and key response plans for flood and wind disasters. Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi said, "To prevent damage caused by increasingly frequent localized and intense heavy rains, proactive preparation and thorough management are paramount. We will make every effort to ensure no residents suffer from flood and wind damage by meticulous facility management and establishing rapid communication and response systems with related agencies."
Park Kang-soo, mayor of Mapo-gu, inspected the Seongsancheon and World Cupcheon areas on the morning of the 22nd despite rainy and gloomy weather to prepare for flood and wind disasters. The inspection was conducted to prevent accidents during the upcoming rainy season amid continuous rain from the morning.
On that day, Mayor Park Kang-soo and officials from related departments checked river water levels and flow rates and verified whether safety measures such as river access blocking facilities were functioning properly. Mayor Park Kang-soo urged, "The safety of residents is our top priority, and I ask everyone to put their full effort into flood and wind disaster preparedness."
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