As a longtime resident of Seoul, I can personally attest to the city being among the safer places to live by oneself. Not once during the numerous late-hour adventures of my youth, staggering back home at night, have I been mugged or held at gunpoint -- which is partly because personal gun ownership is not allowed here.

But no matter where you are in the world, there's always the risk of violence and crime, particularly for women, who are statistically far more vulnerable to certain types of crime. National Police Agency data shows that in 2023, 97.8 percent of rapes and 89.1 percent of other forms of sexual assault targeted women, even as overall male victims outnumbered females in nearly all other types of violent crimes like murder, robbery and assault.

This installment of a series on life in Seoul will discuss safety measures provided by the city government, along with help provided by the state and non-government entities in case of an unfortunate incident.

Since 2013, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been operating what it calls "Safe Route Home (Ansim Gwigatgil)" in 362 places across the city. It refers to paths that have surveillance cameras, LED lights and emergency bells. Those who feel threatened can press the button and be connected to an operator on the 112 emergency line, with a built-in camera and speaker providing images of the site to the operator.

The emergency bells are also found inside some public restrooms in Seoul, such as those in parks with relatively little foot traffic. Pressing the button will alert officials, who are notified of a situation in that location, even if the person is unable to describe the exact situation.

On the paths, the words "Safe Route Home for Women (Yeoseong Ansim Gwigatgil 여성안심귀갓길)" are inscribed on the pavement, notifying pedestrians that the area is subject to surveillance by city officials.

The exact locations of these safety routes can be found on the homepage of the Seoul Open Data Plaza run by the city government, complete with the addresses, locations and descriptions of the closest identifiable facilities or buildings, and the phone number of the police substation in charge.

In 2021, Seoul also launched civilian patrols in certain areas, inviting participation by residents such as those with previous careers in law enforcement. As of 2024, the service has been expanded to all districts of the city.

"Get-Home-Safely Scout" service is another feature provided by the city, through which a female resident can apply for a companion on her walk home. Reservations are available via phone -- through the 120 Dasan Call Center or by directly calling the local scout office -- or a government-developed mobile application that also indicates which areas offer the service.

It operates between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. on weekdays, from 10 p.m. to midnight on Mondays, and is unavailable on weekends and holidays.

Seoul Ansimi app is another useful service that provides information on safe routes and the locations of the aforementioned safety facilities, shares the user's location with a designated friend, and facilitates reservations of the scout service.

Last year, Seoul expanded its portable "Help Me" emergency bell service, and now provides the device to 50,000 individuals. The bells enable quick crime reports to emergency operators, and also send the person's current location and situation to five designated contacts.

The city said it would particularly help foreign residents when the language barrier makes it difficult to seek help.

Seoul officials said they plan to distribute 100,000 Help Me bells this year, provisionally set to start accepting applications in June and to distribute the devices throughout the second half of this year. The current plan is to distribute the devices in two phases, as they did in 2024 in August and December. Applications for the Help Me bells can be made on the website of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

A range of government and non-government agencies extend a helping hand to female victims of crime. If you are a foreigner living in Korea, you should note that this help is available to any resident of the country.

Nearly half (47.3 percent) of foreign female students in Korea experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault in the past three years, 80.3 percent of them repeatedly, according to a 2021 report by the Research Institute of Asian Women at Sookmyung Women's University. But 71.6 percent of the victims said they did not seek help because either they did not know how (38.8 percent) or thought it would not help (34.5 percent).

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family operates the 1366 hotline around the clock for women whose human rights have been violated by crime, providing consultations in foreign languages as well. The Danuri Call Center (1577-1366) is a government hotline dedicated specifically to multicultural families and immigrants, offering emergency aid to those who have suffered violence or other hardship.

Government aid available to victims, whether local or foreign, includes an emergency shelter, medical services, counseling and legal consultation.

The state-run Women's Human Rights Institute of Korea provides help for victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse, and its website provides information for legal help and consultation in English, along with the locations and contact information for related aid centers on its Korean website.

The non-governmental Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center also provides counseling and consultations for victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse.

While it's important to be aware of the potential risks faced by anyone who lives alone, Seoul is still a very safe place to be. The city ranked ninth among the safest cities in the world in a 2024 report by the North American-based travel insurance company Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. The same report picked Seoul as the No. 1 safest city for families to visit.

Just be mindful that no city in the world is crime-free -- know how and where to seek help when necessary, and you can make the best of your stay here.