Hospitals and Pharmacies Operating During Holidays... Call '120' If Urgent

Over 9,000 Locations Designated and Operated in Seoul
Safety Over-the-Counter Drugs Available at Convenience Stores

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 26th that it will operate a 24-hour emergency medical system during the holiday period and designate and operate about 9,000 “Open Hospitals, Clinics, and Pharmacies” to ensure smooth access to hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies.

First, 66 emergency medical institutions and emergency rooms of general hospitals in Seoul will operate 24 hours as usual. The emergency medical institutions include a total of 66 facilities: 31 regional and local emergency medical centers such as Seoul National University Hospital, 18 local emergency medical institutions such as Seoul Metropolitan Seonam Hospital, and 17 hospitals operating emergency rooms.

During the holiday, it is necessary to check the operating hours before using on-duty medical institutions and pharmacies that are open. Outside of emergency medical institutions, 3,163 hospitals and clinics will provide emergency medical services for primary care of patients during the holiday period. For citizens’ convenience, 5,996 pharmacies near the open hospitals and clinics will be designated and operated.

Neighborhood “Open Hospitals, Clinics, and Pharmacies” can be checked via the internet, phone, or smartphone apps. On the internet, they can be found on the Seoul Metropolitan Government and 25 district websites as well as the “Emergency Medical Portal.” By phone, you can contact 120 (Dasan Call Center) or 119 (Emergency Situation Management Center) without an area code. The smartphone app “Emergency Medical Information Service” also provides this information.

“Over-the-counter drugs” (13 items) such as antacids, fever reducers and painkillers, cold medicine, and patches can be easily purchased at 7,354 authorized sales locations including convenience stores (checkable on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website → Over-the-counter drugs).

Additionally, Seoul will continue to operate screening clinics at public health centers in all 25 districts during the holiday. Information on “oral antiviral prescription hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies” for high-risk groups such as COVID-19 patients aged 60 and over and those with underlying conditions will also be provided on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website to ensure citizens’ safety.

Park Yumi, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Citizen Health Bureau, said, “During the Chuseok holiday, for mild illnesses such as stomach upset, please use neighborhood hospitals, clinics, public health centers, and pharmacies instead of emergency rooms.” She added, “Seoul will do its best to ensure no inconvenience in medical use during the holiday by operating open hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and running public health center screening clinics.”

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