Comprehensive Summer Measures Launched: Protection Across Four Key Areas
Expanded Cooling Shelters and Cooling Roads for the Elderly and Homeless
Introduction of Intelligent River CCTVs and AI-Based Flood Prediction
On May 13, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will implement its “Comprehensive Summer Measures” for five months, starting May 15. The plan focuses on four key areas: heatwaves, flood control, safety, and public health, with an emphasis on tailored protection for vulnerable groups.
To respond swiftly to heatwaves and minimize damage, the city will activate a “Heatwave Crisis Alert Response System” until September 30. Under normal circumstances, warning signs are monitored via a mobile situation room. If a Level 1 or 2 heatwave advisory is issued, a comprehensive support situation room will be operated. If the advisory persists or large-scale damage is anticipated (Level 3), the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will be activated to fully respond to the heatwave emergency.
Alleyway scene in the shantytown of Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
The city will also provide tailored support for vulnerable groups who are at increased risk as heatwaves persist, including the elderly, the homeless, residents of squatter settlements, people with severe disabilities, and low-income households. Monitoring for low-income seniors living alone and those with chronic illnesses—which has proven highly effective—will continue, as will AI- and IoT-based wellbeing checks and health management services for seniors.
Cooling shelters will be established at eight counseling centers for squatter settlements, and six “Nighttime Cooling Shelters” (including Donghaeng Bathhouse and the Seoul Station Squatter Settlement Counseling Center) will also be open. The city will continue to operate a special patrol team for these settlements, as well as community nurses who visit health-vulnerable residents once a day. Support will be provided for cleaning 209 shared air conditioners and for electricity bills up to 200,000 won. For low-income households facing livelihood difficulties such as overdue electricity bills, the Seoul Emergency Welfare Program will provide financial, medical, and in-kind support. Big data analysis of 47 types of crisis information, including overdue utility bills, will be utilized to continuously identify and assist at-risk residents.
This year, Seoul will strengthen data-driven prediction and monitoring to detect risk signals early and ensure citizen safety through prompt alerts and evacuation guidance. Key initiatives include early detection of sudden rainfall, the introduction of smart CCTV at rivers, and AI-powered road flood prediction.
The number of semi-basement flood warning facilities equipped with radar sensors that detect water levels in narrow alleyways will increase from 15 last year to 45 this year. A total of 17,779 semi-basement households currently have flood prevention facilities installed. To assist disaster-vulnerable residents such as people with disabilities and the elderly living in semi-basements, the city will match each of 925 households with “Companion Partners” (groups of about five neighbors or public officials per household) and distribute “Customized Flood Response Maps” that visualize evacuation routes.
In addition, the city will conduct intensive inspections of facilities prone to disaster-related accidents. Targets include 308 private construction sites, 110 hazardous buildings, 630 road-related facilities (including 158.6 km of expressways), 451 waterworks facilities and construction sites, 59 long-used water pipeline projects, and 8,175 social welfare facilities.
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Kim Hyung-rae, Director of Policy Planning at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, “As unprecedented heatwaves and sudden torrential rains due to the climate crisis become routine, protecting the lives and safety of our citizens will be our top priority, and we will focus all administrative resources on this effort.” He added, “We ask all citizens to actively cooperate with heatwave and heavy rain advisories and guidance, and to show warm concern for neighbors in need.”
This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.
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