The service is designed to allow overseas-residing South Koreans to consult with emergency medical professionals when they are sick or suffer injuries. (image: National Fire Agency)
SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of overseas-residing South Koreans who used the 119 emergency medical consultation service increased last year despite the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The National Fire Agency revealed on Thursday that 2,617 Koreans residing abroad used the consultation service last year, up 14.9 percent from 2,277 a year ago.
The service, which operates 24 hours a day, is designed to allow Korean overseas travelers, Korean students studying abroad, and seafarers on oceangoing vessels to consult with emergency medical professionals when they are sick or suffer injuries.
Under circumstances in which the number of Korean overseas travelers plunged last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of consultations for those in foreign lands fell by 49 percent year on year while those for Koreans in foreign seas marked a 58.2 percent increase.
By type of medical consultation, emergency medicine-related consultations accounted for the largest share at 43.2 percent, followed by internal medicine at 17.4 percent and orthopedics at 10.4 percent.
By region, China grabbed the highest share at 10.9 percent, followed by the Philippines at 8.1 percent and Vietnam at 7.7 percent.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
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