Yongsan District Implements Comprehensive Winter Measures Against Cold Waves and Heavy Snowfall

Strengthening Safety Management with Expanded Cold Wave Shelters and Increased Snow Removal Teams

Yongsan District in Seoul (District Mayor Park Heeyoung) has established the “2025 Comprehensive Winter Measures” to ensure that residents can spend the winter safely and warmly. The plan will be implemented for four months, from November 15 of this year to March 15 of next year.

Early morning during last year's heavy snowfall, Yongsan District officials are seen performing snow removal work. Provided by Yongsan District.

This initiative was prepared to actively respond to disasters such as cold waves and heavy snowfall caused by climate change. Twenty-two departments within the district office will collaborate across four areas: cold wave response, snow removal, safety, and daily life. The main objectives are to protect vulnerable groups, prevent disasters, respond quickly on-site, ensure a stable energy supply, and reduce fine dust.

To prevent damage from cold waves, the district will add three more small-scale smart shelters called “Naengon Sarangbang,” operating a total of six locations. In addition, a new “Incentive Program for Clearing Snow in Front of Homes and Shops” involving residents will be introduced to address areas that may be overlooked during snow removal.

Taking into account the district’s hilly terrain, the number of smart remote-controlled road heating facilities has been expanded from 24 locations (5,583 meters) last year to 42 locations (9,273 meters) this year. In the event of heavy snowfall, the number of personnel in private snow removal teams will be increased from 220 to 250, and the number of 1-ton dump trucks will be doubled from 8 to 16 to support snow removal work in each neighborhood.

When a cold wave warning is issued, a “Cold Wave Response Headquarters” will be activated, while a dedicated “Cold Wave Situation Management Task Force” will operate continuously during normal times. Additionally, measures to protect vulnerable groups will be implemented, including expanding home-visit health care services, operating cold wave shelters, and supporting the homeless and residents of makeshift housing.

The district will also promote support for low-income families and the spread of a culture of sharing in connection with the “2026 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign.” Preemptive inspections will be strengthened for disaster-prone facilities such as construction sites, gas facilities, and traditional markets. Fire prevention education, provision of firefighting supplies, and safety inspections of outdoor advertisements will also be conducted to prevent accidents.

Furthermore, the district will focus on managing the living environment by monitoring the prices and origins of key daily necessities during kimchi-making season, blocking illegal distribution, and implementing emergency measures to reduce high concentrations of fine dust.

Park Heeyoung, Mayor of Yongsan District, stated, “The safety of our residents is our top priority,” and added, “We will create a winter where everyone can feel secure by establishing a thorough support system and field-oriented response to prevent damage from natural disasters such as cold waves and heavy snowfall.”