Most Seoul shopping district stores keep doors open with AC running, says environmental group
An environmental survey found widespread open-door cooling in Seoul shopping areas and outlet malls, raising concerns over energy waste during peak summer electricity demand.
A store in Myeongdong, central Seoul, runs its air conditioning with its doors open on Aug. 7, when the daytime high in Seoul approached 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).NEWS1
More than half of the stores in Seoul’s major shopping districts and large outlet malls were found to be running air conditioning with their doors open amid extreme heat driving up electricity demand.
A total of 669, or 57.2 percent, of 1,170 stores monitored were operating their air conditioners with their doors open, according to environmental group Green Korea United. Among them, 506 were in three major shopping districts in Seoul and 664 were at six premium outlet malls in the greater Seoul area.
Green Korea United monitored stores in major commercial districts in Seoul and large premium outlet malls in the greater Seoul area from July 15 to 28 to assess the prevalence of open-door air conditioning.
Myeongdong in Jung District, central Seoul — one of Korea’s popular tourist shopping spots — had the highest rate at 68.1 percent, or 143 stores among the commercial districts, followed by Hongdae in Mapo District, western Seoul, at 46.2 percent, or 116 stores, and Gangnam in southern Seoul, at 22.2 percent, or 10 stores.
By business type, shoe stores had the highest rate of open-door air conditioning at 79.8 percent, followed by grocery stores at 70.3 percent and clothing and fashion stores at 64.6 percent.
“In Seoul’s major commercial districts, we found many stores with folding doors installed across their entire entrances and walls that were operating with them fully open,” Green Korea United said.
“These types of stores inevitably allow far more cool air to escape and waste significantly more energy than stores that simply leave a conventional entrance door open.”
Running air conditioning with doors open during the summer is considered a major source of energy waste, increasing unnecessary electricity consumption and adding to peak power demand during periods of extreme heat.
It also significantly increases electricity consumption and electricity bills.
A thermal image shows stores in Myeongdong, central Seoul, operating air conditioning with their doors open on Aug. 7, when the daytime high in Seoul approached 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit). The thermal camera displays higher temperatures in red and lower temperatures in blue.NEWS1
A simulation by the Korea Energy Agency found that the amount of electricity required for cooling increased by about 1.7 times when stores operated air conditioning with their doors open compared to when the doors were closed. Total electricity bills, including cooling costs, also rose by about 33 percent.
Under the Energy Use Rationalization Act, the government can prohibit businesses from operating air conditioning with their doors open when there is, or is likely to be, a serious disruption to energy supply and demand. Violators can be fined.
However, the government has not issued such a restriction since 2016.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment plans to conduct a two-week campaign from Monday to Aug. 23, encouraging businesses to refrain from operating air conditioning with their doors open, a period when electricity demand is expected to peak.
Similar restrictions on open-door air conditioning are also in place in other countries.
France and New York have measures in place that prohibit businesses from operating air conditioning with their doors open and impose fines for violations.
“In New York, stores have notices informing people that they can report businesses if their doors are left open while the air conditioning is running,” Hwang In-chul, a specialist at Green Korea United, said.
“We need demand-management measures that can prevent energy waste during periods of extreme heat, when energy demand is at its highest.”
BY CHON KWON-PIL [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
