An average of 8,094 medical facilities, including emergency rooms, local clinics and pharmacies, will operate daily during the Seollal holiday, from Monday to Wednesday, to ensure access to medical care.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Thursday, the facilities will operate under a coordinated system involving the ministry, medical institutions and the 119 emergency service to swiftly respond to medical needs during the holiday period.
The ministry will run a 24-hour coordination center to oversee joint operations, while maintaining rapid-response teams at public health centers and a standby system for disaster medical assistance teams.
All 416 emergency medical institutions nationwide — including regional emergency medical centers, local emergency centers and local emergency institutions — will remain open around the clock. In addition, at least 1,152 local clinics and 2,679 pharmacies are expected to operate during the holiday.
Information on open hospitals, clinics and pharmacies can be found through the Emergency Medical Portal, the “Emergency Smart” mobile application, also known in Korean as “Eunggeup Ddok Ddok,” or by calling the Ministry of Health and Welfare hotline at 129.
The National Fire Agency will also enhance emergency preparedness by offering 24-hour medical consultations and guidance on nearby hospitals and clinics through the 119 emergency call center. It will also increase the number of professional consultation personnel by 150 to 507.
Fire authorities said inquiries through emergency hotlines increase during holidays, noting that 7,727 consultation and guidance cases were handled daily through the 119 service during last year’s Seollal holiday, more than 70 percent higher than on ordinary days.
The ministry advised people with mild symptoms to first visit local clinics before relying on emergency facilities.
However, those experiencing severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, sudden numbness in the arms or legs, or paralysis of the tongue that affects speech should contact the 119 emergency service for consultation and assistance.
“We will do our utmost to ensure the emergency medical system operates smoothly so that people can have a joyful Seollal holiday,” a ministry official said. “To allow emergency room staff to focus on critically ill patients, we ask those with non-severe symptoms to first seek care at nearby local clinics.”
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