Visiting the Jjokbangchon Communities in Dongja-dong and Jungnim-dong, Seoul
Fundamental Solutions Needed for Housing Vulnerable Groups
"It's so hot that I just can't stay inside my room."
Residents are resting at Saekkume Children’s Park near the Dongja-dong Gosiwon Village in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, visited on the 2nd. Photo by Youngchan Choi
Recently, as the heat wave has intensified, the jjokbangchon (shantytown) communities have been hit especially hard. Residents have been coming outside to cool off in parks or lying down to rest on the shaded concrete ground. Sighs of "It's so hot" could be heard everywhere.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's emergency room surveillance system for heat-related illnesses, a total of 524 people suffered from heat-related illnesses between June 15 and July 1, and three people died. Compared to the same period last year, the number of heat-related patients increased by 1.3 times and deaths by 1.5 times. Among those affected, 30.5% were aged 65 or older, raising particular concern about the impact of the heat wave on the elderly.
However, the reality remains harsh. On the afternoon of the 2nd, Jeon Inhwa (age 70), whom we met in the jjokbangchon of Dongja-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, lamented, "Where would we get an air conditioner? Even the fan I have is useless when the temperature goes above 33 degrees, since it just blows hot air. All I can do is sit in the park."
Yoon Youngsik (age 72) said, "If landlords would install air conditioners, tenants could pay the electricity bills, but there are almost no such places in the jjokbangchon. I managed to save up and install an air conditioner, but in buildings where even gas pipes haven't been installed, an air conditioner is out of the question." In the park, only cooling fog (mist-type cooling water) has been installed to help residents cope with the heat.
Residents are escaping the heat in the shaded alleys of the Dongja-dong jjokbangchon they visited on the 2nd. Photo by Youngchan Choi
Conditions are somewhat better where air conditioners are installed, but such places are in the minority. Kim (age 65) said, "I'm lucky to have even this. Not every room has an air conditioner; they're only installed in the hallways, so if you close the door, it's not cool at all." Cho Kwonhwan (age 53) said, "I don't have an air conditioner, but when it's hot, I go to the park or even to Namsan."
The situation was the same in the jjokbangchon of Jungnim-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Lee (age 69) said, "It's much cooler sitting out here than staying inside my room. I just hope summer ends soon."
Professor Jegal Hyunsook from Hanshin University's Department of Social Welfare said, "It's true that support for vulnerable groups has increased compared to the past, but there are limits to only paying attention and providing temporary aid during times like these. Whether it's providing public housing or improving facilities for these people, what is ultimately needed is funding, so the government needs to implement aggressive welfare policies."
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