"We Can't Run the AC Like This at Home"... Banks Turn Into Heatwave Shelters

As scorching heatwaves approaching 40°C (104°F) continue day after day, bank branches are playing a major role as downtown heatwave shelters for the elderly.

With air conditioning running smoothly and welcoming anyone to drop in without hesitation, these banks have seen a steady stream of citizens stepping inside to escape the heat or wait for appointments.

As the prolonged heatwave persists, financial institutions are also opening their branches as free shelters, becoming safe havens from the heat for the public.

On the afternoon of the 28th, at the iM Bank headquarters branch in Beomeo-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu.

Elderly visitors who did not appear to be there for regular banking business could be seen resting on chairs throughout the bank.

Exhausted after walking just a few steps in the scorching midday heat, seniors have adopted the bank as a sanctuary.

They sat quietly, watching people come and go or gazing at their smartphones to pass the time.

A person in their 60s who visited the bank ahead of lunchtime said, "I finished my banking business, but it's cool in here so I'm staying a bit longer. There are plenty of seats like a rest area, and no one tells you off for being here, so I'm spending time here until my lunch appointment."

With daytime temperatures in areas like Sinam-dong, Daegu, hitting 39.2°C (102.6°F) on the 27th and approaching 40°C (104°F), Daegu is suffering from even more intense heat concentrated in the Yeongnam region, making it hotter than most other major cities in the country.

Struggling to sleep through tropical nights where temperatures remain above 28°C (82.4°F), citizens find it quite an ordeal to cope with the searing heat that flares up again as soon as day breaks.

While office workers and students can go about their daily lives sheltered in well-air-conditioned offices, schools, academies, and libraries, the situation is different for seniors who have nowhere particular to be.

A person in their 70s who visited the iM Bank branch that afternoon said, "We can't afford to keep the air conditioner running all day at home, and turning it off makes me sweat all over and feel lethargic, so I came to the bank as if on an outing. It's as cool as a department store, so there's hardly any place better than this in the middle of summer."

Another senior of the same age sitting nearby said, "I came here with a similar thought, and as I sat here, I ended up chatting with the person next to me, which helps me forget the heat."

A woman in her 50s sitting separately said, "I went out to visit the hospital and buy some things, but it was suffocatingly hot, so I ducked into the bank for a moment on my way."

An iM Bank official said, "At branches located near subway stations or bus stops, many people wait inside the branch before using public transportation."

Branch employees unanimously noted that compared to before the heat arrived, there has been a noticeable increase in customers waiting or taking a short break inside the banks.

In this way, financial institution branches are functioning as downtown summer resorts for citizens.

According to iM Bank, all branches nationwide are being opened for free as heatwave shelters starting this month through the end of September.

The number of iM Bank branches operating as heatwave shelters in Daegu totals 65, excluding sub-branches and PB centers.

iM Bank has been running heatwave shelters every summer since 2013 through an agreement with the city of Daegu to assist vulnerable populations during extreme heat.

Regardless of banking business, anyone can visit their nearest iM Bank branch to rest and escape the midsummer heat.

The same goes for other financial institutions, including Nonghyup Bank and Saemaul Geumgo.

In the case of Nonghyup, 40 Nonghyup Bank branches and 113 regional agricultural cooperative branches in Daegu are currently operating heatwave shelters.

In North Gyeongsang Province, 74 Nonghyup Bank branches and 148 regional agricultural cooperative branches are operating heatwave shelters.

A Gyeongbuk Nonghyup official said, "While Nonghyup branches provide resting spaces for residents, some regional agricultural cooperatives even prepare refreshments like coffee and tea so visitors can rest more comfortably."

(Photo provided by iM Bank, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.