Mayor Oh Se-hoon of Seoul said on the 9th, "Please mobilize all available means and resources to immediately implement on-site heat wave measures." Currently on an overseas trip, he addressed the severe heat situation in Seoul and made this remark to the first and second vice mayors.
Earlier the previous day, the maximum daytime temperature in Seoul was 37.8 degrees. This is recorded as the hottest day for early July since weather observations began in 1907.
In response, the city of Seoul held an "emergency heat wave response situation assessment meeting" on the same day.
At the meeting that day, 12 heads of departments, including the first and second vice mayors of administration, the director of the Disaster and Safety Management Office, the head of the Fire and Disaster Headquarters, the director of welfare, and the director of transportation attended.
Seoul City plans to strengthen its emergency response system across all fields, including firefighting, medical, and relief services, to prevent human damage from heat-related illnesses. Additionally, it will coordinate with around 70 medical institutions operating emergency rooms and district health centers to ensure rapid transportation and treatment of heat-related patients by the 119 ambulance service.
Measures targeting vulnerable groups affected by the heat wave were also announced. Regular check-ins will be conducted via phone and visits for 39,000 vulnerable elderly people. When a heat wave advisory is issued, the frequency will increase to every other day or daily. The operation of cooling systems at 3,751 heat relief shelters will also be periodically monitored.
In addition, approximately 3,100 elderly individuals working outdoors in waste collection will receive items such as cooling sleeves and cooling towels. A refrigerator for Arisu will be installed at Tapgol Park to provide 1,000 bottles of chilled Arisu daily.
An "emergency relief team for the scorching summer" will also be operated to prevent harm to homeless individuals. Plans are in place for 52 teams totaling 123 individuals to patrol areas with a high concentration of homeless people, such as Seoul Station, more than four times a day. Seven heat relief shelters for residents of goshiwons and six shelters for nighttime relief will be opened until September.
The city of Seoul will also share the five basic rules for preventing heat-related illnesses with construction sites commissioned by the city, local governments, and grants. A major disaster monitoring group will be established to inspect compliance with the rules at over 300 public and private construction sites in the city. Workers in outdoor construction sites during heat waves are at a high risk of heat-related illnesses.
To alleviate the urban heat island phenomenon, the operation of "water cleaning trucks" that directly lower road temperatures will also be increased. It will operate 1 to 2 times a day under normal summer conditions and 3 to 6 times a day during heat wave advisories, increasing to a maximum of 8 times a day while a heat wave advisory is in effect. To support this, an emergency disaster management fund of 1.24 billion won will be urgently provided for deploying private water trucks in 25 local governments.