Afraid of Stares at Senior Centers, Can't Afford Cafes or Air Conditioning... "My Summer Shelter Is the Floor of Subway Stations and Airports"

70% of Seoul's Cooling Centers Are Senior Centers
"Local Residents Often Unwelcoming"

Citizens Frown as Airports and Subways Become Refuge

Protest Against Incheon Airport Eviction Orders
Press Conference Planned for August 12

"My only joy is coming out to Jongno to meet my friends, but with the weather so hot... all I can do is sit on the subway station floor."

On the afternoon of the 10th, when the daytime maximum temperature continued to exceed 33 degrees Celsius, elderly people are cooling off on the floor of the waiting area at Jongno 3-ga Station in the Seoul subway. Photo by Hosoo Park

Around midday on August 10th at Jongno 3-ga Station of the Seoul subway, several elderly people gathered in small groups on the steps near the turnstiles and on the tiled floor, energetically fanning themselves. Normally, they would have gathered in the shade of trees at the nearby Tapgol Park or sat around a baduk (Go) board chatting, but as the daytime high soared above 33 degrees Celsius, they took refuge in the cool underground waiting area. Lee Ilwoo, 83, said, "At home, I can't turn on the air conditioner because I'm worried about the electricity bill, and going to a coffee shop costs money and makes me feel uncomfortable. Since there is nowhere else to go, I'm cooling off here."

Although it is not an officially designated cooling center, the subway station has become a kind of shelter for those vulnerable to the heatwave. A representative from Seoul Metro said, "At underground stations like Jongno 3-ga Station, basic air conditioning is operated, so separate cooling centers are not provided. If complaints are made about drinking alcohol, causing disturbances, or making noise, we ask for quiet, but we do not forcibly remove people who are just sitting quietly to avoid the heat."

However, as some people have even started sleeping in various parts of the station, citizen complaints are increasing. Office worker Choi, 32, said, "Many foreign tourists pass through here, and seeing people lying on the floor or leaving their belongings strewn about in the passageways doesn't look good. Especially during the heatwave, the strong odor makes it unpleasant to walk by."

The same situation can be seen at airports. With 24-hour air conditioning and convenient facilities, airports have become known as a 'summer hot spot' for cooling off. As more elderly and homeless people flocked, Incheon International Airport Corporation recently began posting eviction notices at the airport, citing airport facility regulations. In response, civic group Homeless Action has protested, calling it a "hasty measure that expels people from their last refuge of survival." Homeless Action plans to hold a press conference at Incheon Airport on August 12th, calling for a halt to the evictions.

On the 10th, when the heatwave advisory was in effect, elderly people gathered sitting on the stairs at the entrance of Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul subway, fanning themselves with paper fans to escape the heat. Photo by Park Hosu

Despite tens of thousands of government-designated cooling centers nationwide, there are criticisms that the vulnerable are being pushed to subway stations and airports due to the limits of administrative support. In reality, of the 4,017 cooling centers in Seoul, 2,813—or 70%—are facilities such as senior centers that operate mainly for specific members. Only 202 locations, or about 5% of the total, are open to all citizens without conditions.

A Seoul Metropolitan Government official explained, "Any local resident can use the designated senior centers as cooling centers, and some only require visitors to fill out their names. However, since the main purpose is to serve residents aged 65 and over, many elderly people are not aware that anyone in this age group can actually use them."

Many elderly people did not even know the cooling centers existed. Kang Soonghwa, 79, said, "Apart from the local senior center, how are people like us supposed to know or find where these cooling centers are? I'm afraid to go into one I've never used before just because it's hot, for fear of being given strange looks."

Experts stress that, rather than simply providing a place to escape the heat, it is necessary to create an environment where those vulnerable to heatwaves can truly feel comfortable staying. Lee Byunghoon, professor of social welfare at Chung-Ang University, said, "Because cooling centers do not function properly due to issues like territorialism or accessibility, many elderly people end up gathering in public places such as subway stations or airports. The response to heatwaves should not stop at simply designating shelters, but must be improved to become accessible, community-oriented rest spaces where the vulnerable can interact without feeling self-conscious."

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