Homeless left outdoors in Seoul's deep freeze

By Han Jun-gu Posted : December 26, 2025, 14:04 Updated : December 26, 2025, 14:04
A homeless person lies covered with a thin sleeping bag inside Seoul Station, Dec. 26, 2025. AJP Han Jun-gu

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) -A bitter cold settled over Seoul as temperatures fell below zero, pushing the wind chill near minus 17.6 degrees Celsius (0.3 degrees Fahrenheit).

Beneath Seoul Station, some homeless people lay on the floor wrapped in cardboard and thin sleeping bags, sheltering under fluorescent lights that never go out.  Outside, they huddle inside fragile tents as Arctic air cuts through.

The city issued its first freeze warning of the winter and activated round-the-clock monitoring, as forecasters said the cold wave would persist through the weekend.

As trains came and went above ground, winter tightened its hold — quiet, relentless, and unevenly felt.


Piles of belongings and tents used by homeless people are spread out outside Seoul Station, Dec. 26, 2025. AJP Han Jun-gu
 
Signs reading "Cleaning in Progress" and "Disinfection in Progress" are placed in areas where homeless people typically stay inside Seoul Station, Dec. 26, 2025. AJP Han Jun-gu

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