"24-Hour Emergency Medical System During Lunar New Year"...Seoul Launches Comprehensive Holiday Plan

Plan to Keep 1,220 Clinics and Hospitals Open
Strengthened Policing, Fire Prevention, and Support for Vulnerable Groups
Extended Last Train and Bus Times for Subways and City Buses

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will maintain a 24-hour emergency medical system at 72 hospitals during the Lunar New Year holiday, while also extending the last train and bus times for public transportation and working on food safety and fire prevention.

Emergency room file photo

On February 5, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will implement a comprehensive Lunar New Year plan from February 13 to 19 to ensure public safety, stabilize livelihoods, and improve everyday convenience.

First, to maintain a seamless emergency medical system during the holiday, 51 emergency medical institutions and 21 hospitals with emergency rooms in the city will operate 24 hours a day as usual.

The emergency medical institutions consist of 31 regional and local emergency medical centers, including Seoul National University Hospital, and 20 local emergency medical institutions, including Seoul Metropolitan Dongbu Hospital. In addition, 21 hospitals with emergency rooms that are not designated as emergency medical institutions will also remain fully operational so they can respond immediately to critical situations.

To ensure that patients with mild symptoms who have difficulty using emergency rooms can receive treatment with peace of mind, the two Seoul-type Emergency Treatment Centers and four disease-specific dedicated hospitals will also operate without a break during the holiday. A total of 13,282 clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies will be open during the holiday, with a daily average of 2,656 facilities in operation (1,220 clinics and hospitals, and 1,436 pharmacies).

To secure food safety, the city will, by February 10, inspect more than 2,500 businesses handling agricultural and marine products, including traditional markets and small- and medium-sized supermarkets, to check for false or missing country-of-origin labeling. If any cases of false or missing country-of-origin labeling are detected, the city plans to take strict measures, including filing complaints or imposing fines.

Police activities will also be strengthened to prevent crimes and accidents at vacant homes. In cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the city will enhance patrols in crime-prone areas, carry out activities to protect vulnerable groups, and manage traffic congestion, thereby continuing its public security efforts.

To prevent fires, safety inspections of gas facilities (1,346 supply facilities and 667 multi-use facilities) and 800 major facilities such as traditional markets and neighborhood living facilities will be completed before the holiday period.

A Dasan Call Center employee is taking an incoming consultation call.

To respond swiftly to various disasters that may occur during the comprehensive Lunar New Year plan period, a 24-hour Disaster and Safety Situation Room will also be operated. The Situation Room will promptly disseminate information on disaster situations, coordinate responses, and integrate the management of natural and social disasters.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will also roll out various support measures for vulnerable groups who are easily marginalized during the holidays. During the holiday period, it will continue to provide free meals without interruption to more than 32,000 low-income seniors aged 60 or older and more than 26,000 children at risk of missing meals.

Households receiving basic livelihood benefits will receive a consolation payment of 30,000 won per household. In addition, 2,591 seniors and persons with disabilities living in facilities will each receive a consolation payment of 10,000 won.

To reduce transportation inconveniences for citizens, the city will extend the last train and bus times for subways and city buses in anticipation of the concentration of homecoming travelers on Lunar New Year’s Day and the following day. Late-night N Bus services will also operate as usual during the Lunar New Year holiday.

On subway Lines 1 to 8 within the Seoul Metro service section, as well as Line 9, the Ui-Sinseol Line, and the Sillim Line, additional trains will be operated so that the last trains arrive at their terminal stations at 1:00 a.m. the following day. A total of 128 additional runs (64 per day) will be provided over the two days.

For city buses, the departure intervals will be adjusted so that the last buses heading toward terminal stops pass through five major train stations (Seoul Station, Cheongnyangni Station, Yeongdeungpo Station, Yongsan Station, and Suseo Station) and three major bus terminals (Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, and Nambu Bus Terminal) at 1:00 a.m. the following day.

Express and intercity buses departing from Seoul will be increased by 20% compared to normal days, resulting in 702 additional runs per day. With these additional runs, an average of more than 21,000 extra passengers per day can be transported compared to normal periods.

Meanwhile, during the holiday period, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will promptly respond to citizen inquiries and provide various holiday-related information. The 120 Dasan Call Center will analyze frequently occurring and anticipated civil complaints, maintain a 24-hour telephone consultation system, and prepare special consultation materials for the Lunar New Year holiday to ensure thorough readiness.

Kim Hyeongrae, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Director-General for Policy Planning, said, "We have established a meticulous response system that puts citizens' safety first in preparation for various accidents and crisis situations that may occur during the Lunar New Year holiday," adding, "We will do our utmost to ensure that everyone can enjoy a warm Lunar New Year through attentive administration that leaves no gaps in protecting vulnerable groups, implementing holiday transportation measures, and providing convenience."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.