Korean Job Discussion Forums

Seoul Skye · Joined: 28 Feb 2003

Emergency Hotline Opens for Foreigners

A common complaint among foreigners living in Korea is their inability to communicate in English, Chinese or Japanese with various services in the event of an emergency. Starting Monday, the tourism information hotline 1330 will join forces with emergency number 119 to provide Seoul residents and visitors with both sightseeing information and assistance in emergencies. The new system will enable three-way communication among the caller, 119 operator, and interpreter. Interpreters will be on standby 24 hours, providing language services in English, Japanese, and Chinese. To reach the tourism and emergency hotline, foreign residents and visitors can call the new service 1330 from a regular telephone or 02-1330 from a cellular phone.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Seoul Skye
A thread annoucing the service was posted previously.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=16717

Seoul Skye · Joined: 28 Feb 2003

Oops. Sorry about that.

VanIslander · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 5:52 pm Post subject:

"Hello operator, I need help immediately!"

"in Maebashi? One moment please....(click).... Konnichi wa."

"What?"

"Ha ji me ma shy te."

"What are you saying? I need help and quickly, bali bali."

"Anata wa nihonjin desu ka?"

"English, not Japanese. Englishshshsh please. My god, help me!"

"Ka?"

"I'm barely holding on. Hurry, right away! Englishshshsh, Englishshsh, jaseyo, jaseyo!"

"Ka?... Daijoubu..... (click)..... Obaseyo?"

"Do you speak English? Oh I hope you speak English."

"Englishee?"

"Yes! English. I need someone who speaks it."

"Jo song humnida.... (click).... Hello?"

"YES! Finally, someone who speaks English. I'm in trouble, BIG trouble. It's an emergency. Please, I need assistance and soon!"

"Cana iye helpa ye?"

"I need help immed- er, right away. I was travelling with my hogwan director in his SUV when a truck came out of nowhere and slammed into us. Our vehicle is in the ditch. Please, we need help."

"Hogwan? Youa teacha?"

"Yes, yes, I'm a teacher, my director is unconscious and my legs are pinned under the SUV. Ohhh it hurts! We are stuck in the ditch. I saw a car pass by but they didn't see us. We need medics and quickly. And I think the gas tank is leaking because I smell gas and... smoke! I smell smoke!"

"Car? Ah ye okay?"

"Our car has crashed. We are hurt. We are in a ditch off the highway, about 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul on the main road from the east."

"Seo-ul? Wherea ina Seo-ul?"

"No! Not in Seoul, just off the highway, almost 200 kilometers from the city. We are on a main highway from the east. We are NEXT TO the HIGHWAY! We were travelling TO Seoul FROM Gyeongju."

"Gwangju? Ye ye. Wea cana helpa ye. Da youa needa docta?"

"No, not Gwangju, Gyeongju! And yes, we need an ambulance. Oh... I'm... feeling... weak, tired.... this wasn't a good day... losing.. consc..."

"Gooda daye? youa saya. Hello? Okay. Gooda daye. (click)

diver · Joined: 16 Jun 2003

Koreans speak English with an Italian accent?

VanIslander · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 6:58 am Post subject:

The written words may look more Italian but the fact is many Koreans have been learning English from other Koreans and lack the ability to say anything but "Gooda daye".

Koreans want to put a vowel sound at the end of words like in their language. The script has a bunch of 'a' and 'e' letters added in an attempt to reflect that fact.

Right now I have a student whose English level is pretty good for her age but she cannot say "have", "food" or "day" without adding an "ah" sound.

Relying on emergency service provided by Koreans is scary. I'd rather memorize the cell phone numbers of a half-dozen expats with bilingual directors.

But something is better than nothing, and it's a step forward.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003