Demand for Seoul's portable emergency alarm device, "Ansim Help Me," has surged following recent violent crime cases, with more than 110,000 units distributed since the program was introduced in 2024, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday.
The city said applications for the device spiked after a high school student was killed in Gwangju in a case that led to the arrest of a man in his 20s about 11 hours later.
According to the city government, daily applications for the device averaged around 152 this year, but jumped to 5,718 on May 7 following news of the incident.
The portable alarm, designed as a key ring, is linked to the city’s safety app. When users press the emergency button, the device emits a 100-decibel alarm and sends the user’s real-time location and emergency status to up to five designated guardians and local government surveillance camera monitoring centers.
The device also includes a silent emergency reporting function.
City officials said 50,000 devices were distributed in 2024, the first year of the program, followed by 50,377 in 2025. Another 13,843 units had been distributed between the start of this year and May 7.
Applications this year had already reached 20,824 as of May 7, suggesting the total number of distributed devices will continue to rise.
The city also reported an increase in emergency alerts made through the device. There were 624 reported cases in 2024 and 693 in 2025, while 858 cases had already been recorded this year as of May 7. Police were dispatched in around 20 cases.
The device is provided free of charge to socially vulnerable groups, including teenagers, single-person households, older residents and women, under the city’s ordinance on crime prevention support for vulnerable populations. Other residents can obtain one by paying 7,000 won.
Applications can be submitted through the Seoul city website or the Seoul Ansimi app. Users must connect the device to the app to access services linked to police dispatch.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
