National Fire Agency data show 225 emergency dispatches for airway obstruction during the Chuseok holidays from 2023 through 2025, with 34 transported patients in cardiac arrest. People aged 60 and older accounted for 71 percent of those taken to hospital, while children under 10 made up another 16 percent.
Homes were the most common location, making choking prevention especially relevant for households with older adults and young children during holiday meals.