Korea to crack down on ‘fake ambulances’ with GPS tracking

“The government is moving to crack down on so-called “fake ambulances” that illegally use emergency vehicles for personal purposes or nonurgent transport, amid concerns that such abuses are risking the lives of patients. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare Wednesday, under a new plan, all ambulances will be required to transmit their GPS location data in real time to the national center, allowing authorities to monitor operations and flag suspicious movements. The ministry said it will discuss the issue Thursday at the inaugural meeting of its task force launched last month to rectify irregularities in the nation’s medical and welfare system. Private ambulances play a key role in Korea’s emergency transport system, handling nearly 70 percent of intermedical facility transfers. But some recent cases of vehicles being used to shuttle celebrities under the cover of sirens and lights have sparked public backlash, with critics warning such abuses can delay real emergencies and erode trust. Through inspections conducted between July and September last year, the central and l

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