As the number of homeless people seeking shelter at Incheon International Airport—which offers 24-hour air conditioning and free amenities—has surged to as many as 200 during the recent heatwave, controversy has erupted over the Incheon Airport Corporation's mass eviction order.

An Airport That Became a Resting Place... The Corporation Moves to Forcibly Evict

The number of homeless individuals at Incheon Airport, previously numbering in the dozens, has swelled to as many as 200, including elderly individuals and short-term stayers, as demand from those seeking refuge from the extreme heat has converged on the facility.

Amid the influx of overseas travelers during the peak summer season, concerns have been raised that the actions of some long-term staying homeless individuals have caused inconvenience to passengers and janitorial staff, as well as facility management issues. In fact, there have been media reports of people lying down on passenger chairs for extended periods, hoarding luggage, washing themselves in restrooms, and sleeping in nursing rooms. Janitors have complained that their workload has increased due to the rising use of accessible restrooms and excessive consumption of toilet paper.

In response, the airport corporation and its operating company have been conducting guidance activities, encouraging homeless individuals to return home or enter welfare facilities, and attempting to contact their families. However, the Incheon Airport Corporation recently took a stronger step on the 30th of last month by attaching eviction orders to the belongings of some homeless individuals living in the passenger terminal.

The order stated that they must immediately stop loitering and leave the passenger terminal. It also included a warning that failure to comply could result in fines, detention, petty fines, or even criminal punishment under the Airport Facilities Act, and that abandoned belongings could be disposed of in accordance with the law.

"Eviction Without Alternative Space is a Threat to Survival"... Human Rights Groups Protest

In response to the eviction measure, the homeless human rights group "Homeless Action" strongly protested and issued an emergency statement. They argued that rushing into evictions by riding the wave of sensationalist media coverage does not befit the role of a public institution.

They also emphasized that the presence of homeless people at Incheon Airport is the result of an absent public support system, and that with adequate public assistance, homeless individuals would not have been subjected to public hatred or received eviction orders. In particular, they pointed out that kicking out homeless individuals during a heatwave without providing an alternative space could threaten their survival. In fact, some homeless individuals who felt burdened by the eviction order received emergency housing assistance with the help of Homeless Action.

Incheon's Lack of a Support System... Public Opinion Also Divided

The inadequacy of Incheon's homeless support system compared to Seoul has also been raised as an issue. Incheon lacks a comprehensive support center or separate temporary shelter facilities, relying instead on temporary shelters within self-sufficiency or rehabilitation facilities, which has drawn criticism for insufficient counseling frequency and expertise.

Public opinion regarding the eviction measure remains divided. The stance that the airport's order, hygiene, and passenger rights should be prioritized clashes with the view that simply kicking out homeless individuals does not solve the problem. While some argue that sanctions are necessary for violating public facility usage rules, others voice that individuals should not be categorically excluded solely for lacking a permanent residence. On social media, reactions continue to emphasize that protecting human rights and establishing a support system should come first.

Meanwhile, Homeless Action plans to hold a press conference at Incheon Airport's Terminal 2 on the 12th of this month to demand a halt to the Incheon Airport Corporation's eviction measures and the formulation of a support plan for the homeless.