Choi Sang-mok, acting president and Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Strategy and Finance, emphasized, "We will focus our efforts on maintaining the emergency medical system during the Lunar New Year holiday."
Acting Prime Minister Choi presided over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on the morning of the 24th at the Government Seoul Complex, saying, "As influenza and other respiratory infections are on the rise ahead of the Lunar New Year, it is crucial to maintain the emergency medical system stably during the holiday period."
The government has designated the period from the 22nd to February 5 as the "Lunar New Year Emergency Response Period" and is currently implementing special measures to maintain the emergency medical system in preparation for the holiday.
Acting Prime Minister Choi explained, "We will assign one-on-one dedicated personnel to all emergency medical institutions to manage them, and we will operate a 24-hour monitoring system centered on the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Central Emergency Medical Center to address any necessary issues swiftly."
He noted, "In particular, we will ensure thorough care for high-risk pregnant women, newborn treatment and transport, nighttime pediatric treatment, cardiovascular diseases, fingertip reattachment, and acute abdominal conditions." He further urged, "The Korean National Police Agency should collaborate with medical institutions, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and local governments to implement a rapid transport system according to patients' conditions, and I hope there is no laxity in ensuring safety at medical sites during the holiday."
Acting Prime Minister Choi appealed, "If you suspect a serious illness, please contact 119 immediately; otherwise, I hope you first visit a nearby clinic or small hospital's emergency room." He added, "This year, respiratory diseases are prevalent, making the role of clinics and pharmacies that are open during the holiday more important than ever, and compared to last Chuseok, many more clinics and pharmacies are opening and providing services during this Lunar New Year."
During this Lunar New Year holiday, an average of 16,815 clinics are expected to be open. This represents an increase of 361.6% compared to the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday and 92.3% compared to the 2024 Chuseok holiday. Information on clinics and pharmacies open during the holiday can be checked through the Emergency Medical Portal (www.e-gen.or.kr), 119, the Ministry of Health and Welfare Call Center 129, and the regional call centers 120. Additionally, emergency room and holiday medical institution information is available on KakaoMap and Naver Map.