First Three Digits '998' Seoul Fire Trucks Replace 533 Emergency Number Plates

Emergency Dispatch of Vehicles with Dedicated License Plates Automatically Recognized and Passed Through Unmanned Parking Barriers
Complete Replacement of All Fire Vehicle License Plates Following Revised Notification

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 1st that it has completed replacing the license plates of all on-site fire trucks with emergency vehicle-exclusive license plates to ensure unobstructed dispatch during emergencies such as fires.

The replacement of exclusive license plates is a measure following the implementation of the exclusive license plate system for emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and police cars by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety last year. Emergency vehicle-exclusive license plates start with the first three digits '998' or '999', and when attached, they can automatically pass through unmanned parking barriers without separate procedures for identification.

To quickly arrive at the scene and provide emergency treatment and urgent transport upon emergency patient reports, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters first replaced the license plates of 186 ambulances with exclusive plates in October last year. Subsequently, following the revised "Standards for Vehicle Registration Plates" announced in February this year, the replacement of exclusive license plates was carried out for 347 vehicles including fire pump trucks, completing the replacement for all 533 dispatch fire trucks.

The Fire and Disaster Headquarters expects that with the replacement of emergency vehicle-exclusive license plates, emergency vehicles will be able to pass through unmanned barriers installed in parking lots of apartments, buildings, and commercial facilities without delay, thereby swiftly protecting citizens' lives and property.

Meanwhile, regarding the completion of the emergency vehicle-exclusive license plate replacement, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters plans to strengthen publicity efforts to improve the automatic recognition function for emergency vehicle entry and exit of unmanned barriers installed in private facilities such as apartment complexes to ensure the effectiveness of the project.

Choi Tae-young, head of the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said, "To protect the golden time for citizen safety, rapid arrival at the scene is essential," adding, "We will protect citizens' lives and property faster through unobstructed fire truck dispatch."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.