Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency launches CPR awareness campaign

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has launched the ‘Heart-Beating 4 Minutes’ campaign to raise public awareness about the critical importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The month-long initiative, timed with World Restart Heart Day, aims to encourage immediate action during cardiac arrest emergencies.

Data from the KDCA’s 2025 first-half acute cardiac arrest survey indicates that when bystanders perform CPR, the survival rate is 15.3%, approximately 2.7 times higher than the 5.6% survival rate when CPR is not administered. Additionally, the rate of neurological recovery is 3.5 times higher with bystander intervention. While the rate of CPR performed by laypeople rose slightly to 32.9% from 30.2% in the previous year, officials emphasize that many patients still do not receive immediate assistance.

The campaign features comedian Kim Su-yong, a cardiac arrest survivor who credits his life to the quick actions of bystanders. The KDCA will release educational content, including updated 2025 CPR guidelines for various demographics, and host interactive programs to reduce the psychological hesitation people feel when encountering an emergency.