The Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced that deserted phone booths will be modified into ‘relief booths’. (Image : Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov.10 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced that deserted phone booths will be modified into ‘relief booths’.
A ‘relief booth’ is a phone booth where citizens can take shelter when they are threatened criminally. After an individual enters and presses a button, the door closes automatically and sirens go off. Through CCTV and smart media, the face of the offender can be recorded.
Officials from Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that they have changed the phone booth in front of Pungmun Girl’s highschool, which is near the entrance of Bukchon Hanok Village, to one of the new relief booths.
The city plans to connect the system automatically with nearby law enforcement patrol divisions. Free wifi is provided in the vicinity of the relief booth, and using the touch screen inside the booth, one can connect to the internet. The booth will also be equipped with an ATM machine, providing financial services.
The relief booths will feature a modern design, which will be established in consultation with the Design Deliberations Committee.
With KTLinkUs, the company that will be managing the booths, Seoul plans to increase the number of relief booths before the end of the year.
In the long term, Seoul plans to benchmark the pole-shaped telephone booths of New York City, downsizing the booths and providing various services such as free mobile phone charging.
With the ubiquity of mobile communications, telephone booths are evolving, with some equipped with chargers for electric cars, or even automatic defibrillators.
By Francine Jung (francine.jung@kobizmedia.co.kr)
