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Busan Metropolitan City Selected as an ‘Outstanding Institution’ for 2025 Climate Disaster Response, Demonstrating Effective Heatwave Measures That Citizens Can Feel

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced today (December 10) that it has been selected as an “Outstanding Institution” in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s “2025 Climate Disaster (Heatwaves, Cold Waves, and Drought) Response Excellence Program for Local Governments.”

With this recognition, the city received a Minister’s Commendation and secured 150 million KRW in special assistance grants.

The Ministry’s “2025 Climate Disaster Response Excellence Program” identifies local governments that have effectively responded to climate disasters such as heatwaves, cold waves, and droughts. Comprehensive evaluations consider factors including human damage, local government response efforts, and exemplary practices.

From among 17 metropolitan governments, the Ministry conducted a first-round document review based on criteria such as the scale and reduction rate of heat-related illnesses, preventive activities, increases in heatwave response budgets, and field-centered best practices. Seven top-ranking local governments were selected, and final evaluations were completed through an on-site best-practices presentation held on November 26.

This past summer, when a historically unprecedented heatwave persisted for an extended period, the city made every effort to minimize damage by placing citizen safety as its top priority and establishing a comprehensive heatwave response system.

In 2025, Busan recorded both its highest-ever average maximum temperature (29.6°C) and highest average temperature (26.2°C) since the start of meteorological observations in 1904, as extreme heat conditions continued.

During the 67 days that heatwave advisories and warnings were in effect, the city operated a Heatwave Response Situation Room and continuously developed and implemented citizen-centered measures through a pre-season heatwave preparedness meeting on May 14 and a special countermeasure review meeting on July 11.

To proactively respond to this year’s unusually early heatwave warning (June 30, 27 days earlier than the previous year) and the earliest tropical night (July 1), the city urgently allocated 2.44 billion KRW in heatwave countermeasure funds—including the disaster management fund—representing a 62% increase from the previous year.

Additionally, the city enhanced the effectiveness of its measures by expanding heat mitigation infrastructure in citizens’ daily living environments and strengthening protection for vulnerable groups.

The city expanded heat mitigation facilities—including shade structures, cooling fog systems, and cool roofs—to 4,308 locations (an increase of 534 from the previous year), and operated 1,790 cooling centers (an increase of 168), utilizing public cooling facilities such as police stations and youth facilities.

Nighttime cooling center operations were strengthened by increasing the number of centers open at night to 151 (51 more than in May), helping safeguard citizens during the most vulnerable nighttime heat hours.

In cooperation with the private sector, the city designated 714 neighborhood climate shelters—including 139 KT branches and 167 Busan Bank locations—improving accessibility for residents.

To enhance citizen-centered cooling infrastructure, the city operated bottled water refrigerators and parasol rental stations, provided air-conditioned buses using city-owned vehicles, increased nighttime operations of water-spraying and road-washing vehicles (up to 22:00), and extended cooling fog system operation hours from 18:00 to 22:00.

Individual districts also implemented tailored measures: Haeundae District operated large shade shelters for tourists, while Seo District operated “Cool Time Zones” stocked with large ice blocks in pedestrian-dense areas.

To prevent heat-related illnesses among mobile workers, the city expanded the number of summer-season mobile worker cooling shelters from five to nine (operated from July to September).

Kim Gihwan, Assistant Mayor of the Public Safety Office, stated, “During this year’s record-breaking heatwave that began unusually early, we worked to minimize damage through citizen-centered measures. In response to future heatwave disasters driven by climate change, we will further advance this year’s heatwave countermeasures so that citizens can enjoy a healthier and more comfortable summer next year.”