Voice-activated emergency call systems installed in women's bathrooms in Busan

(Busan Infrastructure Corporation)

Busan city officials said Wednesday that they have installed emergency call systems in public women's bathrooms in four underground shopping districts, including a voice-activated one in Busan Station.

According to the Busan Infrastructure Corporation, officials have installed the emergency call systems in a total of 18 underground public bathrooms across the southern port city. They were installed at two bathrooms in the underground shopping district connected with Busan Station, six bathrooms in Nampo Underground Shopping Center, four in Gukje Underground Shopping Center and six bathrooms in Gwangbok Underground Shopping Center.

One in distress can press a button installed in each bathroom stall and next to the washbasins, which will trigger a call to the 112 emergency service and allow one to talk to the police.

(Busan Infrastructure Corporation)

The emergency call systems specifically in the bathrooms of Busan Station have a voice recognition system that registers certain phrases like "dowajuseyo (help me)" or "sallyeojuseyo (save me)," and can also trigger a call to 112.

Officials said they decided on a trial run at the largest railway station in Busan because the bathrooms there are open 24 hours a day and more people visit and use the facility than in any other place in the city.

The BIC officials said they will cooperate with officials at Busan Dongbu Police and Busan Jungbu Police -- whose jurisdictions include areas where the emergency call systems are installed -- to regularly check them, while holding regular inspections for spy cams that might be installed in the bathrooms.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)