MERCHANTS, HOMELESS HIT BY RECORD COLD WAVE

[Anchor Lead]

With the nation gripped by a cold spell, temperatures have been plummeting to minus degrees. Many prefer staying indoors keeping themselves warm and cozy. But some people are forced to bear the cold outside despite yesterday being the coldest weekend of the winter. Many are calling for more extensive support for those living or working in the cold.

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This street stall is enveloped in the steam rising from boiling fish cake soup. Customers crowd the stall to warm up their cold bodies with the steaming broth. Vendors selling Koreans' favorite winter snacks are at their busiest during the cold snap. They are chilled to the bones while getting their stalls ready to open from early morning. But they endure the cold with only one heater.

[Soundbite] Yun Ji-yeong(Namdaemun Market Vendor) : "I usually wear one set of long johns, but I wore four today. I even have hand warmers. (Where?) Under my clothes. I can't show you that."

[Soundbite] Ju Do-gwon(Namdaemun Market Vendor) : "It's very cold. My feet are frozen. So, I run around and move my body."

The Seoul Plaza skating rink is re-opening in three years. Workers busy building the rink by the opening day have no time to take a break from the cold. They have much more work to do since safety is their utmost concern.

[Soundbite] Bae Seung-ho(Skating Rink Builder) : "I wear a lot of clothes to keep myself warm. I just hope that people would enjoy what we have built."

Cold waves are not merely an ordeal, but a matter of survival for the homeless. Some have moved under the bridge to escape the freezing winds, but an increasing number of homeless people are flocking to shelters as sub-zero midday temperatures are recorded for days.

[Soundbite] Park Kang-su(Yeongdeungpo Bohyeon Assistance Center) : "When cold wave alerts were issued like yesterday and today, many homeless people come here to sleep in a warm place."

There are calls for more extensive and customized support for those living or working in the cold.