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Police Rush Newborn to Hospital, Saving a Life
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Good News

Police Rush Newborn to Hospital, Saving a Life

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Police in Gyeonggi Province escorted a newborn with respiratory distress to a hospital, significantly reducing travel time during rush hour.
  • The emergency escort, aided by civilian drivers clearing the way, allowed the ambulance to reach its destination in 15 minutes instead of the estimated 50.
  • The baby, who received treatment at the hospital, has since been discharged, and the incident has garnered widespread public praise.

A two-day-old infant suffering from respiratory distress syndrome received life-saving care thanks to an emergency police escort and the cooperation of civilian drivers. The dramatic journey unfolded on August 3rd when the newborn, receiving incubator treatment at Suwon Deoksan Hospital in Gyeonggi Province, required transfer to a higher-level medical facility, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital.

The distance between the hospitals is approximately 14 kilometers (about 8.7 miles). However, with rush hour traffic, the ambulance trip was estimated to take around 50 minutes. Facing this critical time constraint, the private ambulance driver urgently contacted emergency services to request a police escort.

Responding swiftly, officers from the Suwon Gwonseon Police Station's traffic division, led by Senior Inspector Jo Gwang-ho and Officer Park Doo-hee, began their escort at 6:08 PM. Utilizing sirens and public address systems, they guided the ambulance through congested streets. In particularly heavy traffic areas, they requested drivers to yield, ensuring the ambulance could proceed without delay.

This coordinated effort proved highly effective. The ambulance successfully navigated the traffic and arrived at the Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital emergency room by 6:26 PM, completing the journey in just about 15 minutes. The infant, now safely receiving treatment, was discharged approximately 10 days later.

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency shared a video of the incident on YouTube, which has since gone viral. Netizens have flooded the comments section with messages of support for the baby, the police, and the participating citizens, expressing relief and gratitude for the successful outcome. Many praised the use of state power for such a positive and life-saving purpose.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.