Seoul's 'Help Me' safety bell supplies exhausted hours after online booking begins

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Seoul's 'Help Me' safety bell supplies exhausted hours after online booking begins

Published: 25 Nov. 2024, 17:36 Updated: 25 Nov. 2024, 17:43

A person shows portable safety bells ″Help me″ made by the Seoul Metropolitan Government for its residents. [YONHAP]

All 20,000 portable safety bells offered by the Seoul Metropolitan Government were claimed within hours after online booking began Monday morning.

The portable device called "Help Me" alerts nearby CCTV control centers and predesignated contacts during emergencies when the button is pressed.

The online registration for 20,000 of 30,000 safety bells opened on Monday at 9 a.m. through the city’s official website. The registration, however, closed early at 1:30 p.m. Monday due to its popularity, according to the city official, far ahead of the original deadline set for Friday at 6 p.m.

The remaining 10,000 devices will be distributed to Seoul’s police stations and its sexual violence relief centers to support victims of crimes such as sexual violence, including domestic abuse and stalking.

This is the second round of distribution that follows the first round in August when all 20,000 safety bells were claimed in just 100 minutes. The additional supply was prompted by public demand, not only for the device’s functionality but also for its cute design.

The safety bell comes in three designs, including the city’s mascot Haechi and the newly introduced character Angry Joo-Jak.

The device pairs with Seoul’s Ansimi app, a 24-hour safety monitoring application. When the emergency button on the safety bell is pressed, a warning alarm is triggered, and the alert is sent to the corresponding district’s CCTV control center.

The control center then reviews the situation via CCTV footage and, if necessary, immediately contacts nearby police agencies for assistance. The bell also automatically sends emergency text messages to five predesignated contacts on the Ansimi app.

The portable safety bell is available for all Seoul residents, including non-Korean residents, as well as those who work or go to school in the capital city, if they provide required proof of eligibility. The device is compatible only with Android phones over version 13 or iPhones with iOS version 12 or higher.