![Prime Minister Han Seong-sook visits the home of an elderly resident living alone in a low-income neighborhood near Seoul Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Friday. [Office of the Prime Minister]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/07/17/rcv.YNA.20260717.PYH2026071706110001300_P1.jpg)
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said a heat wave is "not a mere inconvenience but a life-threatening emergency," and directed officials to conduct thorough safety checks and provide more attentive care so that residents can spend a safe and cool summer.
Han visited a low-income neighborhood near Seoul Station on Friday to inspect heat preparedness measures and called on officials to carry out rigorous safety checks for residents.
She toured facilities distributing essential supplies — including electric fans and ice water — as well as overnight cooling shelters, checking whether they were operating properly and whether residents faced any difficulties using them.
Han also met with elderly residents living alone, asking directly about their health and any hardships in their daily lives, and urged them to reach out to those around them whenever they face urgent difficulties.
She then visited a community support center for the neighborhood, reviewing its operations and the status of resident support services, and encouraged staff.
"We put together and began implementing measures in June to protect vulnerable groups during the summer, but residents on the ground may still feel the support is not enough," Han said, calling on local government civil servants and support center staff to visit residents directly and look after them with care.
She went on to say that the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Seoul Metropolitan Government should pay close attention to developing diverse community activities and cultural programs beyond basic food, clothing and shelter support, and to fostering greater cooperation with the private sector in that process.
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