"Apartment Building's Shared Entrance Door Opens Automatically When Police Arrive"... '112 Day' Achievements Announced

Automatic shared-entrance access expanded to 2.25 million households nationwide
112 reporting portal and app revamped... Next-generation AI system being built
18 honored for outstanding on-site response... Contest awards ceremony held

A system allowing police officers responding to 112 emergency calls to enter apartment buildings through their shared entrance doors without going through a separate access procedure has been expanded nationwide. The measure is intended to reduce the time it takes to open the doors in emergencies and preserve the golden hour for on-site response.

Acting National Police Commissioner Kim Jongcheol reads the Police Charter at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the 21st of last month. Yonhap News Agency.

The National Police Agency held a ceremony on the afternoon of November 2 at its headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, to mark the 69th anniversary of 112 Day. It honored police officers and personnel from related organizations who contributed to the response to 112 emergency calls and presented achievements in improving the emergency response system.

According to police, the “Automatic Shared-Entrance Access System for Responding Police Officers,” whose nationwide rollout was completed on October 19, now enables access to the shared entrances of about 2.55 million households in apartment complexes across the country. That represents 20.7% of the 12.33 million households in apartment complexes nationwide. After selecting the relevant building in a dedicated app on their work mobile phones, responding officers can have the shared entrance door open automatically by approaching to within 3 meters of it.

The 112 emergency reporting service has also been improved. On November 2, police revamped the 112 Reporting Portal and mobile app so that people who report incidents can check their progress directly. The range of cases for which text updates are sent on the outcome of police action has also been expanded. Police are also building the “Next-Generation 112 System” in stages, using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze reports and support rapid assessments and on-site responses.

The ceremony was held under the theme “112 Is Always by the People’s Side.” Police reflected on the significance of the 112 emergency number, first introduced in 1957, and presented commendations and certificates of appreciation to 18 people, including officers with outstanding on-site response records and personnel from organizations involved in emergency reporting.

Among those selected as outstanding officers for on-site response was Senior Police Officer Choi Soyeon of the Women and Juveniles Division at Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul, who contributed to protecting victims of relationship-based crimes through proactive safety measures and home visits. The title of “112 Operator of the Year” went to Police Inspector Bae Jihye of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, Police Inspector Lee Jeonghyeon of Jincheon Police Station in North Chungcheong Province, and Police Inspector Jeong Byeongpil of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency.

The awards ceremony for the sixth annual “Responsible 112 Reporting Contest” was also held. In the video category, Kim Taegyun won the grand prize for his entry, “Wall of Sound.” Police also released “2026 People Seen Through Sound,” featuring best practices drawn from their experience handling about 18 million 112 emergency calls each year.

Acting National Police Commissioner Kim Jongcheol said, “For the past 69 years, 112 has served as a dependable emergency bell, protecting the public around the clock, 365 days a year, from wherever they are.” He added, “We will listen more closely to the public’s urgent voices and firmly safeguard their safety and everyday peace by introducing advanced systems.”

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