Ministry of Interior and Safety and Korea Post sign MOU to open more than 2,000 post offices nationwide as cold-weather shelters during business hours
The Ministry of Interior and Safety and Korea Post signed an MOU Tuesday at Government Complex Seoul to designate post offices across the country as cold-weather shelters.
The agreement covers the winter cold-weather response period from Nov. 15 to March 15, 2027, during which more than 2,000 post offices nationwide will be open to anyone seeking warmth during business hours, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Under the MOU, the Ministry of Interior and Safety will drive cold-weather shelter policy and support post office shelter operations. Korea Post will supply the shelter space and maintain it so visitors can use it without inconvenience.
The two agencies also plan to install signage to help the public easily identify which post offices are serving as cold-weather shelters, and will cooperate on public outreach and promotion.
They agreed to share operational information to the extent possible and to work to resolve any complaints reported by users.
Kim Gwang-yong, head of the Ministry of Interior and Safety's National Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, said post offices are familiar facilities that people visit in their daily lives in communities across the country, and expressed hope that the agreement would significantly improve access to cold-weather shelters. "We will work closely with Korea Post to better protect the public from the cold," Kim said.
Park In-hwan, head of Korea Post, said it was meaningful that post offices could serve as warm shelters for local communities. "We will do our best to manage the shelter spaces so the public can use them without any inconvenience," Park said.
thlee@heraldcorp.com
