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Commuters Clash Over Subway Air Conditioning: "Turn It Off" vs. "It's Too Hot"

Go Hui-gyeong

Published : Jul 9, 2026 11:19 AM

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[Anchor] It is extremely hot whenever the rain stops, and it seems there is a debate regarding the air conditioning temperature on subway trains during the commute. Is that right?

[Reporter] Yes, a heated debate recently broke out on an online community for office workers after a post was uploaded asking, "How should we view a passenger who asks to turn off the air conditioning on a subway train during the morning commute?"

Passengers who are sensitive to heat argued that it is a nuisance, asking, "Why would someone ask to turn off the air conditioning in a regular car when there are designated weak-cooling cars?" On the other hand, passengers who are sensitive to cold countered that they should be able to adjust the cooling intensity, stating, "I feel pain if I am exposed to the air conditioning for a long time."

According to Seoul Metro, the temperature in subway trains during the summer is set to 24°C for regular cars and 26°C for weak-cooling cars.

The operator advised that passengers who feel cold easily should use the weak-cooling cars or move toward the center of the train car, where the temperature is relatively higher.

(Source: Online Community)