Analysis of Cooling Shelter Service Gaps and Heatwave Vulnerability in Urban Heat Disaster Management: A Case Study of Seoul

This study assessed heatwave vulnerability in Seoul, South Korea, by integrating heat hazards, social vulnerability, and accessibility to cooling shelters. Heat hazard zones were identified using thermal distribution maps and climate data, whereas cooling shelter service blind spots were delineated using pedestrian network analysis. All analyses were conducted at a 100 m grid resolution and integrated to produce a composite heatwave vulnerability map. The results indicate a relatively high vulnerability in southwestern Seoul and reveal spatial inequities, with vulnerable populations having limited access to cooling shelters. The validity of the results was examined through spatial correlation analysis of heat-related illness data, providing empirical evidence to inform the spatial allocation of heatwave response facilities.