13,000 Calls to 119: Constant Verbal Abuse and Shouting

Individuals who repeatedly called 119 and obstructed emergency operations have been reported to the police.

The Jeonbuk State Fire Service announced that it has filed criminal complaints against two individuals, identified as A (in their 40s) and B (in their 40s), for repeatedly making non-emergency calls that disrupted the operations of the 119 Emergency Operations Center.

Over the past two and a half years, starting from 2024, A has called 119 approximately 13,000 times, engaging in behavior such as verbal abuse, shouting, or remaining silent to obstruct official duties.

Last month, A called 184 times over a five-hour period, averaging one call every 100 seconds.

B was found to have sent approximately 2,700 text message reports in the first half of this year alone, averaging about 17 unnecessary reports per day.

The provincial fire service explained that while these individuals did not make false reports, such as fabricating fires, they continued to make non-emergency calls despite guidance efforts conducted in cooperation with relevant agencies, including mental health welfare centers.

The fire service stated that it decided to file criminal complaints after determining that these actions were hindering the receipt of urgent reports and the operation of the emergency response system.

An official from the provincial fire service emphasized, "Repeated non-emergency calls can delay the processing of reports for actual emergencies," adding, "We will respond strictly to habitual non-emergency reporting."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.