Jjimjilbang - A Refuge For Evacuees

Somebody, please confirm this for me - is it standard practice for Koreans who have been evacuated from their homes for whatever reason to be sheltered for the time being in jjimjilbangs? Or is this an exceptional instance in which a patriotic and sympathetic public sauna owner voluntarily offers his place of business to provide a temporary refuge for his fellow citizens?

I had assumed that the inhabitants of Yeonpyeong would have been put up in some civic building like a covered stadium or a school if it was closed for the term break if they couldn't stay with relatives on the mainland. So it was a little surprising to see this photo in the JoongAng Daily.

But at the same time, it isn't so surprising -as the jjimjilbang is an ideal place to house a large number of people with its ample facilities for bathing, sleeping, eating and keeping in touch with the latest news on TV in the communal spaces. Still, one wonders how long this situation can last especially as there have been news of jittery islanders being evacuated from other islands near Yeonpyeong like Baengnyeong, Daecheong and Socheong.

Caption from Joong Ang Daily: Evacuated Yeonpyeong Island residents take up temporary shelter at a jjimjilbang (a Korean public bathhouse) in Incheon yesterday. [NEWSIS]

source:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2928930