Editorial photo #13033749 Disaster and Accident
‘K-Safety’: Introducing Korea’s Disaster Response Model
Cho Hang-joo, director of the Regional Trauma Center, briefs foreign journalists on the center's role and operations at Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on November 27, 2025. The Northern Gyeonggi Regional Trauma Center is the largest and most active trauma facility in the region, working closely with the 119 emergency services and helicopter EMS (Emergency Medical Service). The center is a specialized facility providing 24-hour rapid surgery and treatment for severe trauma patients, such as those injured in traffic accidents or falls, whereas general emergency rooms treat a wider range of patients, from minor injuries to serious illnesses. Director Cho notes that if the hospital is centrally located in the country, it can cover all of South Korea, and he hopes to achieve that vision. (Photo by Chris Jung/NurPhoto)
