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Seoul gov't to operate 24-hour emergency centers after issuing cold wave advisory

Published: 05 Feb. 2026, 20:12

The Han River is seen frozen over near the riverbank of the Gwangnaru Hangang Park in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on Jan. 25. [NEWS1]

A cold wave advisory was issued for Seoul from 9 p.m. on Thursday, with the Seoul Metropolitan Government operating a 24-hour cold wave emergency response center to minimize damage.

In response to the cold wave alert, the city government said that it will run an integrated support center comprising teams that oversee overall coordination, daily life assistance, energy restoration, medical and quarantine response, and rescue and emergency services.

All 25 district offices in the city will also operate their own response centers and work in coordination with each other.

To prevent casualties, the city will conduct welfare check phone calls for vulnerable older citizens, such as those in the low-income bracket, and provide them with lunch boxes and side dishes.

For individuals experiencing homelessness, the city plans to strengthen counseling and patrols in high-density areas, maintaining what it describes as a closely woven field-oriented protection system.

During the advisory period, 24 district office buildings will operate as 24-hour cold wave emergency shelters. The Gangbuk District office in northern Seoul is the exception, as the district currently operates from a temporary office building while a new office is under construction.

People are seen walking through a street in Jung District, central Seoul, on Jan. 30, as a cold wave advisory is issued for the greater metropolitan region. [NEWS1]

A cold wave advisory is issued when the morning low temperature drops by more than 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) from the previous day and is expected to be 3 degrees Celsius or lower than the annual average, or when the morning low temperature is expected to be minus 12 degrees Celsius or below for at least two days in a row.

“The coming weekend is forecast to bring severe cold, with temperatures falling below minus 10 degrees Celsius, which is fourteen degrees Fahrenheit,” said Han Byung-yong, the head of Seoul’s Disaster and Safety Office. “We will do everything we can to manage the situation and minimize cold wave damage.”

Han added, “Citizens are urged to take extra care by keeping warm and managing their health when going out.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]