Seocho District Mayor Jeon Seongsu Prioritizes Safety of Vulnerable Groups in First Action of the New Year

Relief Supplies Delivered to the Homeless at Express Bus Terminal Station
Over 13,000 On-Site Counseling Sessions by Street Counseling Team for the Homeless

Jeon Seongsu, Mayor of Seocho District in Seoul, began the new year by checking on the safety of homeless people. On January 1, when a cold wave brought the perceived temperature down to minus 15 degrees Celsius, Mayor Jeon visited the express bus terminal waiting room, where he delivered relief supplies such as hot packs and bottled water to the homeless and offered words of encouragement.

On the first day of the new year, January 1st, Jeon Seongsu, the district mayor (right), visited the express terminal waiting room, checking on the safety of homeless people and offering encouragement. Provided by Seocho District Office.

Mayor Jeon held the hands of each homeless person, asking if they had any pain, and said, "Please take good care of your health. Even if you don't have family, I hope you can talk and keep each other company with those around you." To the street counselors who accompanied him, he added, "When you hold the hands of the homeless and show them care, it can give them strength and hope for life," offering encouragement to them as well.

The district operates a street counseling team for the homeless year-round, and as of 2025, has provided a total of about 13,000 on-site counseling sessions and relief supply distributions. The district has also continued to provide customized welfare services covering all aspects of daily life, including hospital referrals, assistance returning home, and job placement. During weather advisories for heat waves or cold waves, as well as during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, special patrol teams are deployed to strengthen on-site patrols in areas with high concentrations of homeless people and vulnerable spots.

To support the return to daily life and provide emotional support for the homeless, starting in 2024, the district has conducted a total of five mobile bathing, hairdressing, and free ID photo sessions, and has also held three "Visiting Humanities of Hope Lectures," working to help the homeless build a foundation for self-reliance.

Mayor Jeon stated, "Based on the field support and safety management experience we have accumulated so far, we will continue to protect the daily lives of vulnerable groups this year with seamless on-site response."