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Pharmacies that are open during the Lunar New Year can be found on www.e-gen.or.kr. / Korea Times file |
By Kim Se-jeong
As the four-day Lunar New Year holiday starts, here are some things to keep in mind in the case of an emergency.
In Seoul, 67 medical clinics and 1,829 pharmacies will stay open. The list of hospitals includes the Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul Red Cross Hospital and Shinchon Yonsei Hospital. For those who can speak Korean, information can also be found on www.e-gen.or.kr.
For Seoul residents, the 24-hour Dasan 120 call center will also offer round the clock assistance during the holiday period.
For those driving long distances, there are a couple of smartphone applications that can be useful.
The Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) has an app that gives updated traffic information and highway rest area information. Drivers needing to find gas stations can download the Korea National Oil Corporation's app, Opinet, which shows the location of gas stations and their prices.
People looking for bus or train tickets can visit kobus.co.kr and letskorail.com to check schedules. Express bus companies and the Korea National Railroad will run additional buses and trains during the holiday.
For those who are staying In Seoul, inner-city buses and subways will run less frequently on the first two days of the holiday, but from Sunday, operating hours will be extended to 2 a.m. to assist those returning home.
To assist city residents who want to visit cemeteries, city bus companies have also added additional buses on these routes during the first two days of the holiday period.
As far as waste is concerned, garbage collection in Seoul will be partially halted during the four-day holiday. On Friday, only the Dongjak district will operate garbage collection services. No services will operate on Saturday in the 16 other districts in Seoul but all will resume Sunday. All districts, except Dongjak, will have collection services Monday.