Korea Coast Guard lacks emergency call recording systems

South Korean lawmaker Seo Sam-seok has raised concerns regarding a critical lack of emergency call recording systems at frontline Korea Coast Guard stations and outposts. Data obtained from the Korea Coast Guard reveals that between 2022 and September 2024, approximately 29,583 emergency reports were made directly to these local offices without any recording mechanism in place.

While the Coast Guard integrated its former 122 emergency number into the national 112 and 119 systems in 2016, many citizens still contact local stations directly. The absence of recordings makes it impossible to verify the accuracy of initial reports or the appropriateness of first responses. This deficiency was highlighted during the fatal incident involving the late Sergeant Lee Jae-seok, where the lack of a recorded initial report hindered rescue teams from pinpointing a victim's exact location.

Furthermore, the lack of a centralized recording system prevents cross-verification of reports, meaning if a staff member fails to report a call to superiors, there is no way to track the incident. Seo Sam-seok urged the immediate establishment of a comprehensive system to record and manage the entire process from initial call reception to situational reporting to ensure accountability and public safety.