Fire authorities search a high school in Busan on Aug. 29, 2025, after receiving a report that an explosive device had been planted there. [BUSAN METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]
BUSAN — “I'm going to jump with my child," a woman in her 30s told police over the phone through the 112 emergency hotline in October 2024. Police immediately issued a Code Zero, the highest response level, after she hung up the phone, saying, "Life is just too hard."
Officers were immediately dispatched to the scene. They continued trying to contact the woman and the apartment management office until they arrived, while also requesting cooperation from firefighters in case the situation escalated.
But when the woman faced the police, she denied what had happened.
“Why would I die? There seems to have been a misunderstanding,” the woman said.
Authorities — two police officers and three firefighters — had to spend an hour confirming whether the report was genuine. The woman later made similar false reports 35 more times and was eventually fined 2 million won ($1,350). The repeated false reports stopped immediately after the fine was imposed.
To address such cases more effectively, the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency plans to step up its response to false emergency reports, which drain police resources and disrupt operations. Reports are classified as false when a person fabricates an emergency, such as a crime or accident, thereby wasting police resources.
False reports could previously be punished as obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means, which carries a sentence of up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won, or as false reporting under the Punishment of Minor Offenses Act, which carries a fine of up to 600,000 won.
The headquarters of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency [BUSAN METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]
Despite the existing response system, there was some hesitation even within the police over applying obstruction charges because they were seen as too heavy-handed. That changed on the front lines after the Act on the Operation and Processing of 112 Emergency Reports took effect in July 2024.
The law allows authorities to impose administrative fines based on the number of false reports. Fines of up to 2 million won can be imposed for the first violation, and up to 5 million won for repeated violations, making offenders bear greater responsibility.
Cases that led to punishment for false reports totaled 248 in 2023, 249 in 2024 and 244 last year, according to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency data.
“Most cases have been punished under the 112 report processing law since it took effect in July 2024,” a police official said. “When people are fined, they stop making false reports, as in the woman’s case. This is seen as effective on the front lines, with officers calling it ‘financial punishment’ or ‘financial therapy.’” The terms refer to cases in which monetary penalties deter repeated false reporting.
“We plan to actively impose fines on habitual false reporters to prevent a worsening waste of police resources caused by false reports.”
Busan Haeundae Beach is filled with visitors on June 29, 2025. [YONHAP]
Busan police will also expand reward payments for people whose reports significantly contribute to crime prevention or the protection of another person’s life, body or property.
Police paid rewards to 172 citizens who helped arrest suspects or protect property, based on 112 reports last year. The payments totaled 35.7 million won, with each person receiving between 200,000 won and 500,000 won.
A 200,000-won reward, for instance, was given to a citizen who carefully checked the clothing description in a missing-person alert text message, found an older person with dementia, and reported it.
Each police precinct decides whether to grant a reward and how much to pay after review by a deliberation committee. With the reward system being expanded this year, 16.3 million won had been paid to 80 people who made reports as of last month.
“We are trying to reduce the waste of police resources and respond more actively to reports that are truly necessary by expanding both punishment and rewards for reports,” a police official said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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