South Korea launches first emergency alert service under ATSC 3.0

The new system will be able to deliver information more quickly about earthquakes, heavy rains and fires using a UHD terrestrial broadcast network.

South Korea just launched under the digital television standard ATSC 3.0 your new service Emergency Alerts and Communication.

The opening ceremony of the Korea Broadcasting Industry Promotion Week included the launching ceremony of an ATSC 3.0 emergency alert system. At the ceremony, the Korean Ministry of Information and Communications announced the launch of a UHD Emergency Alert Service for the delivery of disaster response information by earthquakes, torrential rains and fires. The Ministry predicts that the new system will be able to deliver information more quickly using a UHD terrestrial broadcast network.

The new system will not replace Korea's current telecommunications-based warning system, but will work with it to improve performance and coverage.

The new coverage will include use of large outdoor screens placed on buses, subways and in multi-use facilities such as nursing homes. Large screens will communicate emergency information more quickly and graphically. The new service will also include innovations to support hearing-impaired citizens with voice guidance based on text-to-speech (TTS) technology, and to support the visually impaired by using beacons and vibrometers as safety guides.