[2026 Parliamentary Audit] Emergency safety equipment malfunctions lead to unnecessary firefighter callouts... about 13 a day

False dispatches accounted for 17.6% of all callouts
In the 10% range for three straight years, with no improvement despite concerns raised
Lee Sohee: "Must not add to firefighters' unnecessary callout burden"

Firefighters were sent on unnecessary callouts more than 3,300 times this year because emergency safety equipment malfunctioned. That amounts to roughly 13 false dispatches a day.

Lee Sohee, a People Power Party lawmaker and member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee. Provided by Lee's office.

On October 22, the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee held an audit of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's affiliated agencies, including the Korea Social Security Information Service and the Korea Elderly Human Resources Development Institute.

Lee Sohee, a People Power Party lawmaker and member of the Health and Welfare Committee, said that from January through August this year, firefighters were dispatched 3,279 times because equipment used in the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Emergency Safety and Security Service was overly sensitive or malfunctioned. This accounted for 17.6% of the 18,610 total firefighter dispatches resulting from reports to the service.

The Emergency Safety and Security Service is a system operated by the Korea Social Security Information Service. It installs fire and activity detectors in the homes of older adults living alone and people with disabilities, and automatically alerts 119 when an emergency is detected.

The incidents occurred when equipment malfunctioned due to defects or damage, or when it reacted too sensitively to cigarette smoke, steam, or spray. The share of false dispatches caused by these incidents has not fallen significantly: it was 18.6% (5,211 cases) in 2024 and 19.0% (4,930 cases) in 2025.

Lee said, "At last year's audit, concerns were also raised about frequent sensitivity issues and malfunctions in this program, as well as the resulting burden on firefighters. This year, too, [the number of false dispatches involving firefighters] remains close to 18% of all dispatches."

Lee also said, "A firefighter died in the line of duty at a fire last week, and our committee observed a moment of silence in the deceased's memory on October 20. It is the government's responsibility to address funding issues in the fire service."

She added, "There are also issues with programs under the Health and Welfare Committee's jurisdiction that increase the burden of firefighter dispatches. Programs intended to protect public safety must not add unnecessary dispatch burdens for firefighters." She called on the Korea Social Security Information Service and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to take prompt corrective action.

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