During Chuseok Holidays, an Average of 3,911 Hospitals and Clinics Open Daily... 24-Hour Emergency Medical System in Operation

Ministry of Health and Welfare to Keep 416 Emergency Medical Institutions Operating Normally from September 24 to 27

For Mild Symptoms, Visit Local Clinics or Hospitals First...

Call 119 Immediately if a Serious Condition is Suspected

During the Chuseok holiday period, 416 emergency medical institutions will maintain 24-hour medical services, and an average of 8,294 hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies will be open each day.

On September 21, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that from September 24 to September 27, during the Chuseok holiday, it will maintain an emergency medical system and designate and operate hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies that will remain open so that people can access medical institutions without disruption.

During the holiday, 416 emergency medical institutions nationwide—including 44 regional emergency medical centers, 139 local emergency medical centers, and 233 local emergency medical institutions—will provide 24-hour services as usual. Additionally, 113 emergency medical facilities will be in operation. On average, 580 hospitals, 2,585 clinics, and 217 public health centers and similar establishments will be open daily. Furthermore, 4,383 pharmacies will be available, allowing a total daily average of 8,294 medical institutions and pharmacies to be utilized.

The list of open hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies can be checked using the 'Eunggeupdokkdok' app, the 'Emergency Medical Information Provider' app, the Central Emergency Medical Center's 'E-Gen' website, and local government websites. Information is also available via the Ministry of Health and Welfare Call Center 129 and the city/provincial call center 120.

In particular, the Eunggeupdokkdok app helps users determine whether an emergency room visit is necessary based on their symptoms and provides information about self-treatment or nearby clinics if the symptoms are relatively mild. However, since operating schedules for medical institutions may change during the holidays, it is recommended to call the relevant institution before visiting to confirm whether services are available.

If a person suddenly becomes ill during the holiday, the method of accessing medical services should vary depending on symptom severity. For mild symptoms, it is advised to visit a nearby local clinic or hospital first. If a serious illness is suspected during the course of treatment, rapid transfer to a higher-level medical institution will be carried out based on medical staff assessment. In contrast, in situations suggesting a severe illness—such as difficulty breathing, sudden numbness in the limbs, or paralysis of the tongue making it difficult to speak—an immediate emergency call to 119 is required. Medical consultations are available via 119, and emergency responders will assess the severity and transport patients to the most appropriate emergency institution.

An emergency response system for the treatment of severe emergency patients will also be activated. All 17 regional trauma centers nationwide will operate emergency care systems to address special traumas such as finger amputations, and 29 regional and local cardiovascular disease centers will maintain 24-hour service systems. To minimize gaps in pediatric care, the operation status of 156 Dalbit Children's Hospitals and 14 specialized pediatric emergency centers will be managed. A dedicated transfer team at the Central Maternal and Child Medical Center will be on standby to enable the prompt transfer of mothers and newborns.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will share operating status of specialized hospitals in advance with 119 emergency squads and regional emergency situation rooms to prevent any gaps in the transfer of seriously ill emergency patients. The doctor helicopter and dedicated ambulances for critical patients will continue operations. Especially, the innovative pilot project on emergency patient transfer established in the Gwangju and Honam regions in the first half of this year will be expanded nationwide ahead of the holiday, supporting swift transfer and proper response for severe cases.

Throughout the holiday period, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Central Emergency Medical Center will operate a 24-hour situation room to monitor the readiness of regional emergency medical response systems and on-call medical institutions. For disasters resulting in multiple casualties, rapid response teams at public health centers and disaster medical assistance teams (DMAT) at 45 disaster base hospitals nationwide will be on standby.

Lee Jung-gyu, Director of Public Healthcare Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "We will make every effort to ensure the safe operation of the emergency medical system so that the public can spend the Chuseok holiday safely," and asked, "If your symptoms are not severe, please first visit a local clinic or hospital to allow emergency room staff to focus on severe emergency patient care."

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