A three-way voice call was established between the 112 callers, the Gangwon Police dispatcher, and a professional interpreter. (Image courtesy of Pixabay)
CHUNCHEON, July 6 (Korea Bizwire) —Two French nationals in their early 20s who had become lost on Wednesday while descending Samaksan Mountain in Chuncheon were able to descend safely, thanks to the National Police Agency’s 112 interpretation service, as reported by the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Police Agency on July 6.
Upon confirming that the callers were English speakers, the Gangwon Police 112 receptionist promptly utilized the ‘Foreigner 112 Report Interpretation Service’. This service had already been piloted in Seoul during the month of June and was subsequently expanded nationwide from the 3rd of this month, proving its effectiveness.
The Gangwon Police sought assistance from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s 112 dispatch center, which had a team of interpreters. A three-way voice call was established between the 112 callers, the Gangwon Police dispatcher, and a professional interpreter.
Since the callers were still using their cell phones from their home countries and were unable to access a global positioning system (GPS), the police relied on Google Maps to determine their isolated location. By long-pressing the screen on the Google Maps app, the coordinates were revealed, aiding the police in the rescue operation.
To provide reassurance and maintain communication between the police and the 119 rescuers on the scene, the Gangwon Provincial Police contacted the victims every 30 minutes, acting as a bridge.
Samaksan Mountain in Chuncheon (Image courtesy of Chuncheon City Tourism Council)
Dedicated interpreters worked overtime and stayed home from work to handle additional calls.
Prior to complete darkness, the police deployed a helicopter to aid in the search. Although the exact location could not be confirmed from the air, the sound of the helicopter helped narrow down the search area. Eventually, at 10:18 p.m., the victims were found near the mountain’s summit.
Without sustaining any injuries, they successfully descended from the mountain at 0:29 a.m. the following day and returned home.
An official from the Gangwon National Police emphasized that foreigners across the country could now call 112 to receive police assistance in difficult situations and encouraged them not to hesitate to do so.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
