A newborn experiencing breathing difficulties on a heavily congested road was safely transported to a hospital and saved thanks to yielding drivers and a prompt police escort.

According to police, at around 6:00 PM on July 3, an urgent 112 emergency call was received from private ambulance driver Kang Min-ho (31), stating that a two-day-old newborn needed to be urgently transferred from Suwon Deoksan Hospital to a tertiary hospital in Dongtan.

At the time, it was during Friday rush hour, making for a critical situation where it was expected to take over 50 minutes to reach the destination due to heavy traffic.

Kang shared the tense situation, saying, "Hearing the attending physician say we needed to go quickly made me anxious. Thinking that rapid transport would be impossible without police assistance, I carried the incubator containing the newborn down from the fourth floor of the hospital while making the 112 call."

Police Inspector Park Doo-hee and Senior Inspector Cho Kwang-ho of the Traffic Division at the Suwon Gwonseon Police Station were dispatched immediately upon receiving the report, meeting Kang's ambulance at the rotary in front of the hospital emergency room to begin the escort.


The police cleared the path for the ambulance by sounding sirens and broadcasting announcements saying, "Please pull over to the side," while drivers on the road demonstrated the so-called "Moses miracle" by simultaneously making way on both sides.

Thanks to the mature awareness of citizens and the swift response of the police, the ambulance was able to cover the 14 km distance in just 18 minutes and arrive safely at the emergency room.

It was reported that the baby received prompt treatment and was discharged in good health about 10 days later.

Inspector Park said, "Drivers' civic consciousness has improved, allowing us to complete the escort without major difficulties," adding, "Even in sections caught at traffic lights, we were able to pass without wasting time thanks to the hand signals of team leader Senior Inspector Cho riding along."

Ambulance driver Kang stated, "I heard from the patient's guardian that the baby was discharged and is doing well," adding, "Thanks to the police's help, we were really able to transport the baby quickly."

(Photo provided by police, Yonhap News)