Message Length Increased from 90 to 157 Characters
Duplicate Review Feature Added for Same-Type Alerts
Nationwide Expansion After Regional Pilot Programs
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety is improving the disaster alert message system, which has caused inconvenience to citizens by repeatedly sending the same content.
On October 30, the Ministry announced that it will expand the length of disaster alert messages to better convey necessary information and will gradually improve the operating system to prevent duplicate and excessive transmissions.
Starting from the 31st, a pilot operation will begin in four regions to expand the length of disaster alert messages from the existing 90 characters to a maximum of 157 characters. Provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety
First, the length of disaster alert messages will be increased from the current 90 characters to a maximum of 157 characters, allowing for more specific and situation-appropriate disaster information. This expansion to 157 characters will be piloted starting October 31 in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong Province; Changwon and Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province; and Jeju City, Jeju Province, before being rolled out nationwide.
However, for urgent disaster alerts such as evacuation orders, the existing 90-character system will be maintained, considering that older mobile phones released before 2019 cannot receive messages of 157 characters.
In addition, to prevent similar and duplicate disaster alerts from causing fatigue or reducing alertness among the public, a new "duplicate review before transmission" feature will be introduced to the alert system. Going forward, if the same type of disaster alert is sent repeatedly within 24 hours to the same region, the system will automatically detect potential duplication and prompt the sender to confirm whether to proceed with the transmission.
This feature will be piloted in Busan and Sejong starting October 31, and after verification, it is planned to be expanded nationwide in the second half of next year.
Kim Yonggyun, Director General for Safety and Prevention Policy at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, "This improvement is an important turning point that will greatly enhance the effectiveness of disaster alert messages in protecting the lives and safety of the public," adding, "We will continue to ensure that people can receive truly helpful disaster information through these alerts."
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