[Anchor]
A private shelter that has been welcoming homeless individuals in front of Seoul Station for 15 years is set to close its doors this October. It is reported that the facility will relocate to Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, due to rising rent costs.
Reporter Yoo Soo-Hwan has the story.
[Reporter]
In front of Exit 13 of Seoul Station.
Unlike the outside weather, which is nearing 31°C (88°F), a cool breeze flows through this place during the summer.
With air conditioners and fans running constantly, and equipped with cold water, hot water, and 16 computers, this is Dream City, a private shelter for the homeless located right in front of Seoul Station.
Since opening in 2011, it has served as a sanctuary for the past 15 years, providing a place to escape scorching heat and heavy rain in the summer, and bitter cold and heavy snow in the winter.
The space is visited by 300 to 400 people every day. Because the Seoul City free soup kitchen, Ttaseuhan Chaeumteo, is just a one-minute walk away, it is often difficult to find an empty seat before and after meal times.
[Shelter User (4 years): The soup kitchen is right next door. We wait here until it is time to eat, and after having a meal, we can stay here until 7 p.m. on weekdays.]
This shelter, which provided services such as luggage storage, mobile phone charging, free haircuts, and even medical support, will close in October.
This is because the landlord, who had not raised the rent for several years despite the market rates in the area, stated that they could no longer lease the space at the same price.
For the homeless, this means losing not only a space to escape the heatwaves and heavy rain but also a community where they could share conversations, even if only for a short while.
[Kim Ki-yong/Shelter User (8 months): It will be a huge shock, especially for the elderly men and women. If you are here, they give you meals (at the Seoul City free soup kitchen) and bread in the morning. I don't know what will happen once they move away.]
Pastor Woo Yeon-sik, who operated the private shelter, plans to move to Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, to create a new space for elderly people living alone.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated that it plans to open the free soup kitchen one hour earlier than the current schedule to prepare for potential complaints that may arise as homeless individuals congregate around the facility after the Seoul Station shelter disappears.
(Video reporting: Lee Sang-hak, Video editing: Yoon Tae-ho)
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