Hong Soon-ok, Bupyeong District Council Member: "Locked Cold Wave Shelters, Operational Information Not Found Even After Searching... Empty Administrative Measures"

Incheon Bupyeong District Council Member Hong Soon-ok (Independent·Galsan 1·2-dong, Samsan 1-dong) strongly criticized the actual operation of the cold wave shelters by the district office, demanding practical cold weather measures that vulnerable groups can feel, rather than mere showy administration.

During the third report of the Urban Environment Committee at the 274th Bupyeong District Council temporary session held on January 30, Council Member Hong Soon-ok focused on the efficiency issues of the cold wave shelters and safe accommodations against the safety management department.

Council Member Hong pointed out, "Despite the recent record-breaking cold wave and the flood of safety alert messages, there is not a single cold wave shelter in our district that operates at night." He stated, "It is a significant problem that there is no place for disaster-vulnerable groups to stay from the peak of the cold at night until early morning," urging the designation of regional hub shelters to operate 24 hours, even temporarily.

In response, a district official stated, "Realistically, it is difficult to operate 24 hours due to personnel and facility management issues," adding, "Instead, we are guiding people to use safe accommodations (private lodging businesses) when special alerts are issued."

Council Member Hong also pointed out the chronic issues of 'lack of publicity' and 'poor management' in administration. He noted, "When I personally visited several designated senior center shelters late at night, the doors were thoroughly locked," and added, "It is common that even the elderly and managers at the senior centers do not know that their facilities are designated as cold wave shelters or safe accommodations."

There are a total of 67 cold wave shelters operating in Bupyeong District, including 26 administrative welfare centers and 34 senior centers. Council Member Hong emphasized, "Just hanging a sign does not make a shelter," stating, "Each district must ensure careful management and education so that residents can visit and be warmly welcomed at any time."

The issue of digital information accessibility was also brought to light. When Council Member Hong searched for Bupyeong District cold wave shelters through portal site maps, it was found that only the place names appeared, with no accurate operating hours, internal facility configurations, or navigation information registered at all.

Council Member Hong suggested, "Operating hours by day of the week and detailed locations should be immediately updated in portal information for not only the generation familiar with mobile environments but for everyone looking for shelters." The safety management department head acknowledged, "Your points are entirely correct," promising, "We will review immediately and adjust the information."

Meanwhile, at the conclusion of his inquiries, Council Member Hong encouraged the transportation administration staff who are experiencing conflicts over the installation of the GTX-B line ventilation shafts, stating, "Ultimately, the only support residents can rely on is the district office staff, so please take pride in your work and strive to resolve current issues."