The 2025 Korean basic life support guidelines are evidence-based treatment recommendations for basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The 2025 guidelines recommend that after checking the response of a patient suspected of cardiac arrest, call 119 (emergency medical services) immediately and request an automated external defibrillator (AED) before performing procedures to confirm cardiac arrest, such as checking breathing. There is currently insufficient evidence into the clinical effectiveness of dispatcher actively instructing individuals who report an emergency to retrieve and use an AED, but one observational study reported an increase in some survival rates. The guidelines recommend that lay rescuers and emergency medical personnel who have been trained in and are willing to perform artificial ventilation should apply standard CPR including artificial ventilation, and that lay rescuers who are not trained in or do not want to perform artificial ventilation should perform compression-only CPR. The guidelines emphasize high-quality CPR, including effective chest compressions and ventilation. The application of a rapid AED is continuously emphasized, and the anterolateral positioning method is recommended as a priority for ease of application. Healthcare workers are recommended to perform standard CPR with a compression to ventilation ratio of 30:2 for patients suspected of having a high-risk pathogen infection and to wear appropriate personal protective equipment, including a mask or respirator appropriate for the suspected pathogen, gloves, a gown, and eye protection.

The 2025 Korean Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation include a first aid section developed through a systematic review and evidence appraisal. The revision aimed to strengthen prehospital first aid response capacity while reflecting the Korean healthcare system, field feasibility, and relevant legal and institutional contexts. The guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for seven priority emergencies: adult chest pain suggestive of myocardial infarction, suspected acute ischemic stroke, asthma-related dyspnea, anaphylaxis, seizures, shock, and syncope. Core principles emphasize early recognition, prompt activation of emergency medical services, minimizing delays to definitive care, and safe condition-specific interventions. Key recommendations include assisting with patient-prescribed medications when appropriate (e.g., nitroglycerin, inhaled bronchodilators, and epinephrine autoinjectors), using structured stroke screening tools, preventing aspiration through proper positioning and withholding oral intake in patients at risk of dysphagia, administering oxygen only for hypoxemia, and initiating cardiopulmonary resuscitation in patients who are unconscious and not breathing normally. Seizure management focuses on safety and emergency medical services activation criteria, while care for shock and syncope emphasizes patient positioning and post-event assessment. These recommendations provide practical, evidence-based guidance for improving patient safety and outcomes in prehospital settings.

In response to the expanding body of research on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and updates from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, the 2020 Korean CPR guidelines have been revised. This article presents the development process and summarizes the major updates in the 2025 Korean CPR guidelines. Seven task forces were established, with members nominated by professional societies involved in CPR. Each task force formulated key clinical questions and conducted systematic evidence reviews using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) methodology. The 2025 CPR guidelines were finalized on the basis of the reviewed evidence and consensus discussions. The major updates are as follows: (1) addition of rehabilitation and recovery to the chain of survival; (2) inclusion of guidance for dispatchers on the use of automated external defibrillators; (3) recommendation that trained rescuers provide rescue breaths in cases of drowning-related cardiac arrest; (4) suggestion of double sequential defibrillation or vector-change defibrillation for refractory ventricular fibrillation; (5) revision of the target temperature range for post-resuscitation temperature management from 32–36 to 33–37.5 °C; (6) recommendation of public access defibrillation for children aged ≥1 year; (7) suggestion to use supraglottic airway devices and video laryngoscopy in neonatal resuscitation; (8) recommendation for the use of feedback devices in CPR training; and (9) addition of a first aid section addressing cardiac arrest–related emergencies. These guidelines reflect the most current evidence, and their implementation and dissemination are expected to improve survival after cardiac arrest.