"Is it a steamer or a subway platform?"... Even subway stations are 'sweltering' in the 'extreme heat wave'

[Financial News] "Is this a steamer or a subway platform?"
This summer, as the 'extreme heat wave' continues, the heat inside Seoul subway stations is also reaching extremes. Stations with air conditioning facilities become like steamers when the outside temperature is high or when there is a crowd of passengers. Some stations that have been open for a long time do not even have air conditioning facilities, leading to complaints among citizens that waiting for the train is a hardship.
On the morning of the 30th, the platform of Gyodae Station on Seoul Subway Line 2 in Seocho-gu, Seoul, was suffocating, no different from outside. Commuters waiting for the subway cooled off with portable fans or fans. Some citizens sitting on platform benches wiped the sweat off their foreheads with handkerchiefs.
The situation was similar at Gangnam Station on Line 2. The heat emitted from the LED display made the surroundings even hotter. In fact, after walking around the Gangnam Station platform, beads of sweat formed on my forehead.
A 30-year-old office worker, Mr. A, who commuted to Gangnam Station that day, said, "Especially during rush hours, when the crowd gathers, the inside of the station is too hot," and "Sweat literally flows down." A 20-year-old office worker, Mr. B, also complained, "I just made a phone call at the subway station, and I was sweating," and "The waiting time for the train felt much longer."
However, these stations are relatively better off. Among Seoul subway stations, there are quite a few without air conditioning facilities. According to Seoul Metro (Seoul Transportation Corporation), currently, out of 276 subway stations in Seoul, 51 stations (18.5%) are operated as 'non-air-conditioned stations'. Among them, 25 are ground stations where it is structurally difficult to install air conditioners, and the remaining 26 are underground stations that have been open for a long time.
Some stations without air conditioning facilities reach 'steamer' levels, with internal temperatures approaching 40 degrees. According to data submitted by Seoul City Council member Kim Jihyang (People Power Party) from Seoul Metro, between the 22nd and 24th, the maximum temperature inside Oksu Station on Line 3 reached 39.3 degrees, and Seongsu Station on Line 2 reached 39 degrees. Ahyeon Station on Line 2 and Hansung University Station on Line 4 exceeded 31 degrees. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's notice, the internal temperature of Seoul subway stations should be maintained at 27-29 degrees, but this has been far exceeded.
Complaints from citizens about the heat inside the stations are also increasing. Complaints to Seoul Metro about 'the station being hot inside' increased from 752 cases in 2022 to 998 cases in 2023, and to 1,274 cases last year. This year, even before the full-fledged heat began, 128 related complaints were received by June.
Seoul City and Seoul Metro are also deeply concerned. Currently, it is structurally difficult to install air conditioners in ground stations among non-air-conditioned stations, and installing air conditioning facilities in underground stations requires enormous costs. It is known that about 60 billion won is needed for overall aging environment improvement, including the installation of air conditioning facilities per station. Even with a simple calculation, a budget of 1.56 trillion won is required to install air conditioning facilities in all 26 underground non-air-conditioned stations.
Accordingly, Seoul City plans to first increase customer waiting rooms to improve the environment of non-air-conditioned stations and secure related budgets to improve them sequentially.
Seoul City stated, "We will expand customer waiting rooms in non-air-conditioned ground stations from the current 9 stations with 14 locations to 19 stations with 33 locations," and "Since it costs 60 billion won per station for installing air conditioning facilities in underground stations, we plan to apply for national funding for next year's station improvement project and actively secure it to improve sequentially."

welcome@fnnews.com Jang Yuha Reporter