gettyimagesbankQ. Does Korea have shelters to help people escape excessive heat?

A. Yes, there are shelters that offer relief from the scorching heat during the summer.

Low-income and marginalized people are usually the most vulnerable to extreme summer weather. Heat waves create unbearable conditions for people living in housing that lacks air conditioning.

Local municipalities run special summertime shelters. They open air-conditioned community centers and other facilities to elderly citizens and any residents who want to cool off. Depending on local governments, those centers are open until 9 p.m. Anyone can use those facilities after presenting ID to the staff.

In addition, some municipalities, such as Seoul’s Nowon District Office, provide a “premium” nighttime shelter service for elderly citizens aged 65 or older who rely on financial assistance from the government.

Once applications are completed, eligible citizens can stay at a hotel from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next day. This free, night-time hotel service is available only during a heat wave. The extreme heat warnings are issued when daytime highs reach 33 degrees Celsius or higher for two days in a row.

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