An app in English that provides useful information in urgent situations was launched on March 5. The app contains emergency contact numbers and teaches users how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) developed the app to satisfy the growing need for emergency information amongst elements of the population that don’t fully speak Korean: foreign residents, multicultural households and, especially, tourists. There have also been requests for such an app from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from foreign embassies.

The app can call emergency contact numbers, such as 119, and show videos on how to do CPR, how to provide emergency care and how to use a fire extinguisher or a fire hydrant. In the case of a civil defense alert, the app shows on a map the location of the nearest shelter.


The app can be downloaded from Google’s Play Store, Apple’s AppStore and from markets run by local mobile telecommunication companies.

“Despite significant increases in the number of foreign tourists and residents in Korea, there were no emergency information apps available for them,” said a NEMA representative. “We will talk to related agencies later this year to add emergency information to the app and expand the services.”

NEMA also said that, after launching the app in English, it would consider developing more apps in different languages if necessary.



By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr