"Even with a Fan, It's Over 30°C"... Residents in Tiny Rooms Remove Windows to Survive Heat

[Anchor]

It was a weekend where even a short walk outside was difficult due to the suffocating heatwave. While such weather is challenging for everyone, it is a matter of survival for those who have nowhere to escape the heat, even for a moment.

Morning Zoom-in, reporter Jeong Jiyeon reports.

[Reporter]

In a neighborhood of tiny, single-room dwellings in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Cooling fog systems spray mist continuously to prevent heat-related illnesses, and residents have gathered in a park to escape the heat.

Some have taken off their shirts to cool down, while others sit on benches in light clothing, fanning themselves.

[Jeon In-hwa/Yongsan-gu, Seoul: Getting through the summer is the hardest part. Sweat just pours down. It pours down even when I'm just sitting still. It's better when I'm out in the park. There's at least a bit of a breeze.]

With air conditioning out of reach due to the cost, the temperature inside these tiny rooms exceeds 30°C (86°F) even with a fan running during the day.

The room I am standing in right now is also filled with sweltering air.

Because of this, residents have to remove their windows entirely just to get a little bit of airflow.

[Lee Sang-jun/Yongsan-gu, Seoul: It was so hot that I just took all the windows off. Even the air from the fan feels hot. There are so many mosquitoes, but it's still better than the heat...]

At a traditional market, where the number of customers has dwindled due to the scorching weather, merchants are battling the heat all day long.

At fish shops, where freshness is critical, merchants are constantly busy sprinkling ice to maintain quality.

[Kim Gwang-su/Mangwon Market Merchant: I feel like I'm just spraying ice all day long. You can see the fish losing their freshness immediately. The number of customers has dropped significantly, and we are just trying to hold on.]

The number of people seeking refuge from the heat at the more than 4,000 cooling centers across Seoul is also increasing.

[Shim Gu-seop/Senior Center President: People over 70 or 80 can't walk around outside in this heat. It's good that they can come here to rest.]

In tiny rooms where it is often cooler outside, and in workplaces where people must work outdoors, citizens are enduring the returning heatwave in their own ways.

(Video coverage: Kim Seung-tae | Video editing: Choi Hye-ran)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.