Up to 200 Homeless at Incheon Airport Amid Heatwave... Eviction Orders Spark Clash Between Human Rights and Order

Estimated 200 Staying, with About 16 Long-term Residents

Airport Corporation Acts Amid Complaints from Passengers and Cleaning Staff

Human Rights Group: "Eviction Without Alternatives Leads to More Homelessness"

Divided Public Opinion

As record-breaking heatwaves have persisted, the number of homeless individuals living or spending extended periods at Incheon International Airport has been on the rise. Recently, controversy has grown after Incheon International Airport Corporation began eviction measures against some of these homeless people. There are conflicting arguments: some say such measures are unavoidable to maintain the convenience, hygiene, and order for airport users, while others criticize the eviction of homeless people—who have nowhere else to go in such extreme heat—without providing alternative solutions as excessive.

Netizen opinions are divided. Those who support the eviction measures say, "An airport is a facility for travelers, not a long-term lodging," and "Regardless of whether someone is homeless, actions that make it difficult for other users to use restrooms or chairs should be restrained." Yonhap News Agency

According to the homeless advocacy group Homeless Action on August 10, Incheon International Airport Corporation attached eviction orders to the belongings of some homeless individuals living in the airport’s passenger terminal on July 30. These orders instructed immediate cessation of homelessness and required them to leave the terminal premises. The notices also stated that failure to comply could result in penalties according to the Airport Facilities Act.

With the intensifying heatwave, Incheon International Airport has emerged as a “summer refuge” not only for the homeless but also for the elderly, as it is air-conditioned 24 hours a day and provides free access to amenities like restrooms and seating. According to officials at the airport, the total number of homeless individuals, including short-term stayers in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, can increase from several dozen to as many as about 200 at peak times. However, the airport corporation recently identified about 16 homeless people residing inside the airport on a long-term basis.

Long-Term Stays Causing Discomfort for Passengers and Cleaners

The airport authorities also face significant dilemmas. During the peak summer season, when overseas travelers are flocking in, long-term stays by some individuals have led to discomfort among passengers and issues with facility management. Recent reports have described some homeless people lying on passenger benches for extended periods, stacking belongings around them, and washing themselves in the restrooms. Other cases include individuals attempting to sleep in nursing rooms or getting into altercations with other airport users.

Some long-term residents are increasing cleaning work by washing their bodies in the accessible restroom or using excessive amounts of toilet paper. Channel A

In particular, cleaning staff have complained that some long-term residents wash in the accessible restrooms or excessively use toilet paper, thereby increasing their cleaning workload. The airport corporation and operating company have reportedly been encouraging homeless individuals to return home or relocate elsewhere, attempting to contact their families as part of ongoing guidance efforts. While the airport has also joined with Incheon City and Yeongjong District authorities to recommend welfare facility admissions, there have been instances where long-term homeless people refused such offers.

The airport serves as a national gateway, with hundreds of thousands of domestic and international passengers passing through daily, and is a facility requiring security management. Supporters of the eviction measures argue that continued occupation of certain spaces or stockpiling personal belongings could negatively impact passenger movement, cleanliness, and facility management.

"If They Are Evicted in the Heat, Where Can They Go?"

Homeless Action contends that, aside from the need to maintain airport order, it is problematic to demand evictions without first providing alternative spaces for the homeless. In particular, they argue that forcing these individuals to leave the air-conditioned airport during a severe heatwave simply exposes them to the dangers of the streets or heat once again.

Although it is the solar term of Ipchu, signaling the beginning of autumn, scorching heatwaves exceeding 40 degrees Celsius have been rampant nationwide, including Seoul. On the 7th, along Sejong-daero in Jongno-gu, Seoul, citizens wearing sunshades were moving about under the intense morning sun. Photo by Jo Yongjun

In some cases, a homeless person who had been staying at Incheon International Airport for about a year before recently moving to a homeless shelter in Seoul claimed to have asked for time to pack belongings before eviction, but was not given enough time. It is also reported that some homeless people have received emergency housing assistance with the help of Homeless Action.

There is also ongoing debate over whether the support system for the homeless in Incheon is sufficient.

Unlike Seoul, Incheon reportedly lacks a comprehensive support center or separate temporary shelter for the homeless. Although Incheon City provides street counseling and housing linkage programs, and utilizes temporary shelters within rehabilitation facilities, human rights groups argue that both the frequency and the expertise of outreach are insufficient. Juanguk, executive director of Homeless Action, urged the airport corporation to halt the rushed eviction and fulfill its public responsibilities, also calling on Incheon City to establish a proper support system for people experiencing street homelessness.

"Public Facility Order" vs. "Prepare Alternatives First": Divided Public Opinion

Netizen opinions are divided. Those who support the eviction measures say, “An airport is a facility for travelers, not a long-term lodging,” and “Regardless of a person's homeless status, actions that make it difficult for other users to use restrooms or chairs should be restrained.” Some comments on related videos note that because passengers pay an airport usage fee as part of their airfare, it is unfair for the facilities to be monopolized for extended periods.

As the recent record-breaking heatwave continues, the number of homeless people living or staying for long periods at Incheon International Airport has increased. Amid this, Incheon International Airport Corporation has begun evicting some of the homeless, which has fueled growing controversy. Yonhap News

Particularly, there are many voices stressing the need to protect not only the rights of homeless individuals but also those of the cleaning staff, who are repeatedly tasked with cleaning, and of ordinary airport users. Some argue that if problematic behavior by certain homeless people is confirmed, the same standards for use of public facilities should be applied to everyone, regardless of status. On the other hand, others say, “Evicting the homeless from the airport does not solve the issue of homelessness,” and “During a heatwave, the priority should be to provide a safe space before linking to welfare facilities or permanent housing.” On social media, many responses emphasize that protection of human rights and establishment of a support system should come before forced eviction.

However, some also point out that the hygiene or inappropriate behavior of a few individuals should not be generalized as representative of all homeless people. While there should be sanctions for violations of public facility rules, it is wrong to exclude someone simply because they lack housing. Meanwhile, Homeless Action plans to hold a press conference at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on the morning of August 12, urging the airport corporation to halt the eviction measures and establish a public support system for the homeless.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.