With temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius day after day, concerns are growing over the health of vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children.
Seoul districts including Seocho-gu, Dongjak-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu and Songpa-gu have rolled out a range of heat wave measures residents can feel directly — from free bottled water and parasol rentals to expanded cooling shelters and urban water parks.
Seocho-gu: bottled water, parasols and shade structures
Seocho-gu, led by District Mayor Jeon Seong-su, is running a set of everyday heat relief programs, including "Seoripul Wondumark Saemmul," which provides cold bottled water to pedestrians, and "Seoripul Parasol Smart Rental Service," which lends parasols free of charge.
The bottled water program, now in its second year, is run in partnership with the district's voluntary disaster prevention corps and local small business owners.
The district distributes about 4,000 bottles of water a day across five high-traffic locations: Yangjae Station, Seoul Arts Center, Bangbae Station, Saeraegol Park near the St. Mary's Hospital intersection, and under the Yeoui Bridge over Yangjaecheon stream.
The district also purchases the water from local supermarkets under a partnership agreement, supporting the local economy alongside its heat relief efforts.
The parasol rental service — the first of its kind installed along a major roadway in the country when it launched last year — now operates at 24 locations across the district. Parasols can be borrowed free of charge for up to 48 hours at a time.
Seocho-gu's fixed foldable shade structures, first introduced nationwide in 2015, provide shade and rest areas at 328 intersections and crosswalks across the district. "We will actively push forward a range of everyday measures that residents can feel directly," District Mayor Jeon said. "We will do our best to help residents stay healthy through the heat."
Dongjak-gu: 173 senior cooling shelters
Dongjak-gu, led by District Mayor Ryu Sam-yeong, is expanding its network of senior cooling shelters to protect elderly residents, who are among the most vulnerable to extreme heat.
Since May 15, the district has designated 173 locations — including the district office, social welfare and senior welfare centers, senior community halls and public libraries — as cooling shelters offering air-conditioned rest spaces.
Starting Monday, the district expanded its extended-hours shelters from eight welfare centers to 42 district-run senior community halls, bringing the total to 50 locations.
Standard shelters operate on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Extended shelters stay open until 8 p.m. on weekdays when a heat wave advisory is in effect, and are also open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and public holidays.
The district also plans to strengthen on-site management so that elderly residents can safely escape the heat late into the evening during periods of tropical nights.
Yeongdeungpo-gu: pop-up water park at Singil neighborhood park
Yeongdeungpo-gu, led by District Mayor Jo Yu-jin, will run a pop-up water park at Singil Neighborhood Park for three days from Aug. 14 to 16 for residents worn down by the heat.
The event is designed to let families enjoy water activities and cultural performances together at a park close to home. Last year, about 1,300 residents visited to beat the summer heat.
This year's setup will include a large pool measuring 14 meters wide and 8 meters long, a 5-meter-tall water slide and a dedicated pool for infants and toddlers. Shaded rest areas will also be provided for guardians.
Safety personnel will be stationed to ensure age-appropriate water play, and the district plans to pay close attention to facility upkeep and water quality management.
Songpa-gu: combining water play and reading at a summer book corner
Songpa-gu, led by District Mayor Seo Gang-seok, is launching "Book Splash! Dive into Books, Splash into Imagination! 2026 Summer Reading Corner" at its Haha Hoho water park starting Friday, combining water play and reading for the summer vacation season.
The program pairs play with books so that children and families can encounter reading naturally while having fun.
This year, for the first time, the district is creating an outdoor reading space at the entrance to the Haha Hoho water park — giving visitors something to do while waiting to enter or taking a break.
About 1,000 books, including new releases across age groups, will be available for free borrowing — ranging from children's titles to general nonfiction. An outdoor "booknick" space equipped with bean bag chairs and camping chairs will also be set up.
"Extreme heat is an especially dangerous disaster for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children," a Seoul district official said. "We are strengthening on-the-ground responses so that residents can escape the heat and protect their health close to where they live."
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