Gwangjin-gu district office is significantly expanding the operating hours of its mobile worker rest shelter to protect the health and safety of outdoor workers as a record-breaking heat wave continues.
Delivery riders, courier drivers and designated drivers are among the most vulnerable workers during extreme heat. In response, Gwangjin-gu is extending the shelter — previously open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. — to 24-hour operation throughout August, including weekends and public holidays. The change allows mobile workers to cool down and rest in an air-conditioned space at any time, regardless of the day or hour.
The shelter is equipped with a range of amenities, including massage chairs, a coffee machine, an automatic blood pressure monitor and mobile phone chargers, giving workers a place to recover briefly during their shifts.
During the heat wave period, the district keeps iced water stocked in a refrigerator at all times, available free of charge to all visitors, as part of its efforts to prevent heat-related illness.
Alongside the extended hours, the district will step up facility management — conducting regular checks of the air conditioning and other amenities and promptly addressing any issues reported by users to ensure the shelter operates reliably throughout the heat wave response period.
In addition, Gwangjin-gu is pursuing a broader range of heat wave countermeasures. Throughout August, 15 community service centers designated as heat shelters will run free iced-water stations, and the district office building shelter will also remain open around the clock so residents can safely escape the heat at any time.
"Extreme heat is a life-threatening disaster, which is why adequate rest and hydration are paramount," district mayor Kim Kyong-ho said. "We will do our utmost to manage the shelter and its facilities so that mobile workers — who keep the city running even in the sweltering heat — can rest safely."
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