"Mister, mister, are you okay?"
At 9:50 a.m. on the 20th, under the stairs at exit 3 of Seoul Station. A man in a sleeping bag was curled up without a stir. With the morning temperature dropping below freezing, Inspector Park A-ron (42) of the Seoul Station Police Substation quickly approached and tapped his shoulder for about five seconds. The man slowly opened his eyes, merely waved his hand, and let out a faint sound, "Uh…" When Park handed him bottled water, only then did he move.
Park said, "In winter, the cold weakens the immunity of people experiencing homelessness and accidents can suddenly happen," adding, "We need to check every day whether they are conscious."
The area around Seoul Station is where the largest number of people experiencing homelessness stay. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, there are 1,349 people living on the streets nationwide, with 145 near Seoul Station. Park is the country's only "police officer dedicated to people experiencing homelessness" here. Since February 2020, now in the fifth year. We followed a day that starts and ends with people experiencing homelessness.
At around 9:46 a.m. that day, Park left the substation in front of exit 2 of Seoul Station to begin patrol. The first place headed was the "underground passage in front of the Seoul Station post office." As the weather turned colder, even those on the surface moved underground.
In the middle of the underground passage, the left side based on the tactile paving was a walkway for citizens, and the right side was a living space for people experiencing homelessness. On the floor lay cardboard as long as an adult's body. On top were a mix of sleeping bags, blankets, and colorful suitcases. Park checked the consciousness of those lying on the floor one by one. Only faint breathing came back.
Coming out of the underground passage and crossing toward exit 4 of Seoul Station, the atmosphere changed. From 10 a.m., three people experiencing homelessness were sitting together, eating snacks and drinking soju. As soon as one of them saw Park, he greeted him warmly, saying, "You're out?" Then he said, "We'll drink moderately so it doesn't cause trouble."
Park hinted that the person he greeted was the "leader" among people experiencing homelessness. He said when a problem arises near exit 4, the leader contacts Park right away to report the situation.
Many people experiencing homelessness have mobile phones, so Park has saved the numbers of more than 100 people. Like the leader, they all report the situation if something happens. Rather than simply managing them, Park is in a kind of cooperative relationship.
When cleaning of the underground passage began at 10 a.m., they moved aside one by one. Water from the hose and a squeegee quickly swept across the floor. A sanitation worker said, "In the past, it was really hard because there was even filth among their belongings, but these days they move aside right away."
But territory was still the most sensitive issue for people experiencing homelessness. In front of the stairs at Seoul Station, some college students were filming their graduation project that day. Three people experiencing homelessness immediately told Park, "Those students are invading the space." Only after Park calmed them, calling them "Mr. 00" and "Ms. 00," did the mood ease.
Behind Seoul Station, tents used by people experiencing homelessness stood in a row. Most were empty. Park explained that during the day they gather at Seoul Station Plaza to receive supplies such as bottled water or hot packs, and at night they return to their own spots. He added, "People experiencing homelessness fundamentally long for human connection."
The patrol continued for about an hour. Time stretched as Park checked each person's health. In front of the Line 1 turnstiles, a person experiencing homelessness was scratching a leg. A scab had formed over a wound on the leg. When Park said, "I'll drive you to the hospital next week, so let's definitely go together," the person only nodded.
Park explained, "Because people experiencing homelessness bundle up to get through winter, it's hard to notice wounds and the like," adding, "Given their tendency to collect things, there is a risk of tetanus, so we need to pay more attention."
Park repeats patrols around Seoul Station three to four times a day. It could be tedious, but Park said seeing people return to society gives strength. "During the COVID-19 crisis, there were more people experiencing homelessness and the environment around Seoul Station was worse," Park said. "Now it has improved as some have joined public jobs and are doing environmental cleanup work."
Across the corners of Seoul Station Plaza, people wearing yellow or blue vests cleaning the streets stood out. They were people experiencing homelessness who, with support funds from the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), were doing environmental maintenance work and preparing to return to society.
Lee Young-min (41), a social worker at the Dasiseogi Hope Support Center who helps people experiencing homelessness around Seoul Station, said, "There was a person who started with a public job and became a hotelier," adding, "Many are working hard so that people experiencing homelessness can return to society."