A water-spraying truck sprays water to lower the road surface temperature on a motorway. Photo courtesy of Seoul Facilities Corporation
The Seoul Facilities Corporation has launched a comprehensive summer safety plan for citizens, centered on operating water-spray trucks to reduce heat, installing shade canopies, conducting preemptive inspections of flood-prone areas, and strengthening safety management at multi-use facilities.
The corporation said Thursday that it has established a response system focused on four key areas—heavy rainfall, heat waves, safety, and public health—with the goal of helping all citizens enjoy a healthy and safe summer.
To respond to heat waves, water-spray trucks will be deployed daily on motorways to lower road surface temperatures, while real-time heat wave information will be provided through variable message signs (VMS) and the corporation’s website. Large shade canopies will be installed along the Cheonggyecheon stream from Mojeon Bridge to Gwangtong Bridge from the 23rd through September, to serve as resting areas for citizens.
For on-site workers, the corporation will operate a “Heat Break” rest period program and flexibly adjust outdoor work during heat wave advisories. Cooling equipment and salt glucose will also be provided to prevent heat-related illnesses. At Seoul Children’s Grand Park, breeding environment management will be strengthened through measures such as spraying water on animal enclosures.
Measures against heavy rainfall have also been reinforced. The corporation has designated motorways and underpasses with high flood risk as priority management targets and built a response system that can immediately deploy emergency recovery personnel and equipment. Preemptive inspections of vulnerable facilities, including parking lots near Cheonggyecheon and rivers and underground shopping arcades, have been completed. The corporation expanded equipment such as engine pumps in cooperation with the private sector, increased safety personnel at Cheonggyecheon, and conducted joint drills with relevant agencies to improve on-site response capabilities.
Safety management has also been strengthened in preparation for the increase in summer visitors. Repair work on major facilities such as Cheonggyecheon walkways, stairs, and bicycle paths has been completed in advance, and risk factors such as road surface damage and faulty railings have been inspected and repaired. Multi-use facilities such as Seoul Children’s Grand Park and Seoul World Cup Stadium will have shortened inspection cycles and operate a permanent management system. In particular, the deployment of safety personnel will be expanded at facilities frequently used by children and the elderly.
In the public health area, the corporation will strengthen disinfection and quarantine measures, focusing on enclosed facilities such as underground shopping arcades and domed stadiums, while concurrently operating air purifiers and inspecting ventilation systems to improve indoor air quality. At Cheonggyecheon, the corporation also plans to manage water quality through riverbed cleaning and the operation of maintenance water pumps.
“As sudden downpours and prolonged heat waves have become routine due to climate change, we have focused on establishing a preemptive response system starting from the forecast stage,” said Han Kook-young, president of the Seoul Facilities Corporation. “We will concentrate all our capabilities so that citizens can spend a safe and healthy summer.”