Seoul will cap calls to its 120 Dasan Call Center, the city's complaint and information hotline, at 20 minutes. The measure is intended to ease the burden on counselors from drawn-out calls and to shorten waiting times for other residents.
The Seoul 120 Dasan Call Foundation said on the 18th that it will begin operating a 20-minute call termination system at 6 p.m. on the 20th. Under the new approach, the system automatically ends a call after a set period, replacing the previous practice in which counselors had to ask callers to end the conversation themselves.
Before a call is connected, an automated response system will inform callers of the time limit. Fifteen minutes into a consultation, a voice message will announce that the call will end in five minutes. After 20 minutes, the call is terminated following a final notice. Consultations may continue, however, if resolving the complaint requires additional time. Callers with remaining questions can dial 120 again for further assistance.
The foundation has taken legal action against abusive callers and has responded to lengthy calls in stages. Counselors nonetheless bore the burden of having to request an end to calls themselves, and other residents faced delays in getting through. The foundation said it plans to review inconvenience to residents and the operation of its consultation service after the new system takes effect and make improvements where needed.
"We will work to reduce the burden on our counselors so that more residents can receive fast and convenient assistance," said Song Joo-beom, chairman of the 120 Dasan Call Foundation.