"A Truly Wonderful Korean Citizen": Ambulance Covers 17 Minutes of a 56-Minute Route in a Miracle on Olympic-daero [Thank You, Public Servants]

[Financial News] An emergency patient who was vomiting blood and in critical condition on a heavily congested Olympic-daero during the morning commute was able to make it through the golden hour thanks to the police's swift response and the cooperation of citizens.

On the 18th, the YouTube channel 'National Police Agency (South Korea)' uploaded a video titled "Through the blood... Clear a path on Olympic-daero."
According to the video, on the 28th of last month, a joint 119 emergency number report was received saying, "We are on Olympic-daero, and a passenger is vomiting blood." After searching the area, police found a taxi stopped on the shoulder.
At the time, the passenger was on the way to the hospital in a taxi and, due to a chronic illness, was coughing up blood and struggling to stand while leaning against a guardrail.
Police who arrived at the scene informed the 119 emergency crew, who were also searching nearby, of the patient's location. They then managed traffic and cleared a route for the ambulance to enter.
When the ambulance arrived shortly afterward and began emergency treatment, police reassured the patient, saying, "The ambulance is here, so don't worry."
The key issue was getting the patient to the hospital. Because of rush-hour congestion, Olympic-daero was packed with vehicles, and the estimated travel time to the hospital, 17 kilometers away, was 56 minutes.

As road conditions remained poor, police escorted the ambulance in front with a patrol car to clear the way. When officers used loudspeakers and other devices to broadcast instructions on the jammed road, vehicles packed across the roadway moved aside to both sides in unison and yielded. Even on the narrow exit ramp with only one lane, drivers pulled their cars as far to one side as possible to open a path. Thanks to the public's cooperation, the ambulance was able to complete a route that would have taken 56 minutes in just 17 minutes.
Thanks to the golden hour that everyone helped protect, the patient received hospital treatment and is reportedly recovering.
Internet users who saw the video responded with comments such as, "Olympic-daero is usually very congested, but it looks like the patient got to the hospital quickly thanks to the police officers and paramedics. You worked so hard. Thank you," "The people of South Korea are amazing," "Because there are people like this, citizens can live safely. Thank you," "A proper country. A proud nation is made by its people," and "I hope we can all work together so that this kind of advanced civic culture continues."

[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter