The accuracy of location information provided by South Korea's three major mobile carriers to emergency response agencies such as fire and police departments has improved across the board, according to a government assessment. The improvements are expected to enhance the efficiency of rescue operations in emergency situations.
The Broadcasting, Media and Telecommunications Commission (BMTC) on Friday released the results of its "2025 Emergency Rescue Location Information Quality Measurement." The evaluation covered 170 locations nationwide, reflecting diverse environments including urban areas, indoor and outdoor settings, and crime-vulnerable zones. It assessed accuracy, response time, and compliance rates for each positioning method, including base stations, the Global Positioning System (GPS), and Wi-Fi. Apple's iPhone was included in the measurement for the first time.
According to the results, the average base station positioning accuracy across the three carriers improved to 22.0 meters from 25.0 meters. The compliance rate for location standards reached 99.6%.
GPS accuracy also improved to 12.3 meters from 12.7 meters, with the compliance rate rising to 99.2%. Wi-Fi positioning likewise improved, with accuracy at 17.1 meters and a compliance rate of 99.4%, showing gains across all positioning methods.
However, response times increased slightly for some methods. By carrier, KT recorded the best base station accuracy at 15.1 meters. SK Telecom posted the smallest GPS margin of error at 9.2 meters. In Wi-Fi positioning, SK Telecom and KT showed relatively strong performance.
Apple's iPhone, which provides its own hybrid positioning information when GPS is requested, recorded a location accuracy of 24.3 meters, a response time of 17.6 seconds, and a compliance rate of 97.5%. Apple plans to improve its relatively long response time compared with the three Korean carriers by early 2027.
In device function measurements, most domestic unlocked handsets, USIM-compatible devices, and children's phones supported the majority of positioning methods. However, some foreign-made devices were found to lack Wi-Fi support.
"Based on the measurement results, we will work closely with the industry to gradually improve the quality of emergency rescue location information and seek regulatory updates in line with changes in the technology and industry landscape," BMTC Chairman Kim Jong-chul said.
