Even If Mobile Service Is Suspended Due to Unpaid Bills, Suicide Prevention Emergency Line '109' Will Connect

System Reform Led by Health and Welfare, Science and ICT, and Civil Rights Commission
Early Implementation Begins Next Month through Cooperation with Telecom Providers and Manufacturers before Official Notification Revision

Starting next month, even if an individual’s outgoing mobile calls are restricted due to unpaid telecommunications bills, they will still be able to use the suicide prevention hotline '109'.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on September 8 that they will designate the 109 suicide prevention hotline as an emergency communications number, thereby improving the system so that it connects even in cases where telecommunication services are restricted.

The 109 hotline operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, based on the "Act on the Prevention of Suicide and the Creation of a Culture that Respects Life." Although it is a toll-free, receiver-pays call for the caller, until now, unlike other emergency communication numbers such as 112 (crime reporting) and 119 (fire and accident reporting), it was not designated as an emergency communication number. As a result, it was difficult to use from mobile phones with outgoing call restrictions due to unpaid bills.

This improvement was prompted by public feedback received via the presidential social media channels, expressing concern that it was difficult to access 109 for those whose outgoing mobile calls were restricted due to economic hardship. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission reviewed the current system based on this feedback and consulted with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Science and ICT to formulate improvement measures.

Once designated as an emergency communications number, telecommunications companies must ensure that calls can be connected to that number even if outgoing calls are stopped due to unpaid bills. Currently, emergency communications numbers include 111 (national security reporting and counseling), 112, 117 (school violence reporting and counseling), and 119.

The Ministry of Science and ICT determined that 109 qualifies as an emergency communications number under the requirement of "protecting public safety" and began the process of improving the system. Normally, revising the notification to designate an emergency communications number takes about three months, but by consulting with telecommunications companies in advance and prioritizing system development, the change will be applied early starting October 1—before the formal revision is finalized.

Mobile phone manufacturers are also voluntarily cooperating. The 109 hotline will be added to the list of emergency numbers so that users can dial 109 directly, even when the phone is locked. The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to expedite the process by reducing the mandatory administrative notice period from the usual 20 days to 10 days.

As the department in charge of operating 109, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will support the necessary operations for its new emergency communications status. Sunyoung Lee, Director of Mental Health Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "With this designation, the 109 suicide prevention hotline will be more widely recognized as an emergency line for suicide prevention and will strengthen its function as a safety net," adding, "We expect it will provide tangible help to people in crisis."

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