Lunar New Year Drives 70% Surge in 119 Emergency Consultations in South Korea
South Korea’s National Fire Agency bolstered emergency services during the Lunar New Year holiday, experiencing a significant 70% increase in medical consultations compared to typical weekdays and expanding access for citizens abroad.
As families gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year, demand for emergency medical guidance surged across South Korea. The National Fire Agency (NFA) proactively prepared for this increase, converting 119 emergency management centers nationwide to an emergency work system and deploying additional personnel to ensure public safety. This commitment to preparedness underscores the critical role of the 119 service in responding to the healthcare needs of the population during peak periods.
Increased Staffing and Resources for Holiday Demand
To meet the anticipated rise in calls, the NFA deployed a total of 507 professional consultation staff – a 150-person increase over normal levels – comprised of nurses and first-class emergency medical technicians. Furthermore, the agency expanded counseling reception capacity to 113 lines, adding 30 more to handle the influx of inquiries. These resources were strategically allocated to provide hospital and pharmacy guidance, disease consultation, and critical first aid instructions, particularly in life-threatening situations like cardiac arrest.
Last year’s Lunar New Year holiday (January 25-30) saw a total of 46,362 medical consultations and guidance requests processed through 119. This translated to an average of 7,727 cases per day, a substantial 70.1% increase compared to the average weekday volume of 4,543 cases in 2025. The highest volume of requests occurred on Lunar New Year’s Day (January 29th), with the majority of inquiries focused on hospital and pharmacy information (64.4%), followed by disease consultation (14.3%) and first aid guidance (12.9%).
Life-Saving First Aid Delivered Remotely
The effectiveness of the 119 Emergency Management Center was vividly demonstrated in a real-life incident last year. On January 30th, at 2:52 p.m., a call came in from a nursing home in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, reporting a woman in her 70s choking on grapes. While an ambulance was dispatched, 119 situation room personnel immediately instructed a caregiver on how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. “Telephone first aid guidance played a big role in saving lives,” a senior official stated. Thanks to the rapid, remote guidance, the obstruction was cleared before the emergency team arrived, restoring the patient’s breathing and preventing serious harm.
Expanding Access for Overseas Citizens
Recognizing the needs of South Korean citizens traveling, studying, or working abroad, the NFA has significantly broadened access to emergency medical consultation services. Previously limited to phone (☎(82) 44-320-0119), email ([email protected]), website (119.go.kr), and the KakaoTalk channel, citizens can now utilize the newly added ‘119 Safety Report Center App’ and the ‘Fire Department website mobile web’ for assistance.
This expansion is expected to alleviate medical anxieties among Koreans residing overseas, providing them with quick access to professional medical consultation and first aid guidance from domestic emergency doctors via their smartphones. The NFA believes this initiative will prove invaluable in ensuring the well-being of its citizens, regardless of their location.
