What were the loud sirens I heard in South Korea?

What were the loud sirens I heard in South Korea? - Free stock photo of ancient, architecture, building

So I was in South Korea on March 14, by the War Memorial of Korea and the Yongsan Garrison and heard what sounded like an air raid siren. I did a Google search. Apparently I wasn't the only one that heard this:

http://clifabroad.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/we-just-had-an-air-raid-siren-test/

My question is... what was this? I'm pretty sure there wasn't a surprise attack by North Korea. Do they conduct periodic city-wide or nation-wide drills from time to time?

I also saw a fighter jet flying north (as determined with my compass)



Best Answer

MikkaRin has it right, these drills aren't anything to be concerned about. When they do happen, traffic is meant to come to a halt (some choose to ignore) and things generally go quiet except for the sirens. Seeing fighter jets was a daily norm for me (lived in Ulsan for a year) and they are always out and about, but nothing to be concerned of.




Pictures about "What were the loud sirens I heard in South Korea?"

What were the loud sirens I heard in South Korea? - Cheerful young woman screaming into megaphone
What were the loud sirens I heard in South Korea? - Expressive angry businessman in formal suit looking at camera and screaming with madness while hitting desk with fist
What were the loud sirens I heard in South Korea? - Angry Woman Is Screaming



What are the 4 siren signals?

Since the 1990s, civil defense sirens have been replaced by electronic sirens and the procedure has been simplified. As of 2013, there are four playable tones: a natural disaster warning, an upcoming air/nuclear strike, an imminent air/nuclear strike, and an "all clear" signal.

Why do I hear an air raid siren?

In short, it means that something life-threatening is happening and you should go indoors and get more information. The specific guidelines (tornado, hail ,wind, etc.) for sounding sirens varies by jurisdiction, so check with your local community to find out the specifics if you are interested.

Is there a nuke siren?

In 2022, there are bomb sirens in America but they vary across states. Many World War II air raid sirens were used again during the Cold War when there was nuclear threat from Russia and still exist today.

What do wailing sirens mean?

The National Weather Service has determined two weather conditions for siren use. A steady tone, lasting 3 minutes, means a tornado watch or a severe thunderstorm watch. A wailing tone (6 sec. Hi/6 Low) lasting 3 minutes, means a tornado warning or severe thunderstorm warning.



Air Raid Sirens in Korea [GoPro Hero2 and QuikPod]




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: zhengkui li, Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio