Veterans Hospitals Nationwide on Emergency Alert During Chuseok Holiday... Emergency Rooms Open 24 Hours

Incheon Veterans Hospital to Operate Ambulance Services Only

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will implement an emergency duty system at veterans hospitals and national cemeteries across the country during this year's Chuseok holiday period (October 3 to 9).

According to the ministry on October 2, the emergency rooms of five veterans hospitals nationwide (Central, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju) will operate 24 hours a day from October 3 to 9. Specialists, operating room nurses, radiology and other testing staff, as well as ambulances, will be on standby at all times to provide care for inpatients and emergency patients.

Prior to this, Minister Kwon Oeul is scheduled to visit Daegu Veterans Hospital on the same day to inspect the operation of emergency medical services, offer words of encouragement to hospitalized national merit recipients, and support the medical staff. However, Incheon Veterans Hospital will only operate ambulances during the holiday period and will actively guide patients to cooperating hospitals for emergency transport.

On the 5th, ahead of the 69th Memorial Day, bereaved families visited the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, to pay tribute to the deceased. Photo by Kang Jinhyung aymsdream@

Additionally, the ministry will maintain a cooperative system with nearby university hospitals and fire stations to ensure a swift response to the transfer and transport of emergency patients. Out of 920 designated contracted hospitals nationwide, some will operate emergency rooms by region to support medical care for veterans and their families.

Furthermore, eight veterans nursing homes nationwide-in Suwon, Gwangju, Gimhae, Daegu, Daejeon, Namyangju, Wonju, and Jeonju-will allow both in-person and virtual (video call) visits through an advance reservation system. However, visits may be restricted if visitors exhibit symptoms of fever or influenza (including COVID-19), to protect the health of residents.

All 12 national cemeteries, including Seoul National Cemetery and Daejeon National Cemetery, will implement various transportation and safety measures for visitors and organize emergency duty teams during the holiday. In particular, a "proxy memorial service" will be provided by cemetery staff for bereaved families who are unable to visit the national cemeteries during the holiday period.

Due to the recent fire at the National Information Resources Service, access to the national cemetery burial application system is currently restricted. Therefore, each national cemetery will guide bereaved families through the burial process via telephone consultation until the system is fully restored. Required documents, such as the burial application form, will be processed by fax to ensure that burial services continue without disruption.

Minister Kwon stated, "During the Chuseok holiday, we will ensure that veterans and their families can access the necessary medical services in a timely manner without any gaps in care. We will also do our utmost to manage and operate the national cemeteries so that memorial visits and tributes can take place in a safe and pleasant environment."

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