Seoul doubles personnel to protect vulnerable amid cold

A pedestrian walks in the snow in Seoul, as many parts of the country are forecast to see snowfall amid the cold spell, Monday. (Yonhap)

In response to the severe cold, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has doubled its personnel to protect the safety of vulnerable groups, its officials said Tuesday.

Since the cold wave warning was issued at 9 p.m. Sunday, a total of 124 city workers, up from the usual 50, have been dispatched to carry out emergency response and relief tasks, with a particular focus on people without homes, who are highly susceptible to harsh weather conditions.

The daily low in Seoul plunged to minus 14 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with apparent temperatures dipping to minus 21.7 C.

According to city officials, their primary concerns are homeless people, older adults living alone and those living in poor housing conditions.

On Monday, the city workers dispatched to help them have distributed 1,086 relief supplies, provided free meals to 1,435 people and helped one individual find a hospital. Approximately 346 homeless individuals utilized emergency beds provided by Seoul's Homeless Comprehensive Support Center on Monday night to escape the cold.

These relief activities will persist throughout the duration of the cold wave advisory, expected to continue until Thursday.

For older residents requiring extra care, the population of which is 36,298, their conditions will be monitored every other day via phone check-ins. Those facing difficulties going outside will receive additional food assistance.

The city plans to offer heating grants to around 370,000 vulnerable households.

In cases of emergencies, an emergency care center for people with developmental disabilities who need care due to a guardian's hospitalization, family events or psychological exhaustion, can provide 24-hour care, according to Seoul city.

By No Kyung-min(minmin@heraldcorp.com)