The 30-second answer
Save 112 (police) and 119 (fire and ambulance) before you land. These are the numbers for an immediate threat, crime, fire, rescue, or medical emergency. Say “English” and give your location first. Do not delay an emergency call while trying a tourism service.
Also save 1330, the Korea Travel Helpline, for non-emergency tourism information, interpretation, and complaints—but verify its live status before relying on it. VISITKOREA still lists the service, while an official January 20, 2026 notice says its call/chat service was temporarily unavailable until further notice. Because the current public page does not give a clear restoration time, this guide does not describe 1330 as guaranteed 24/7 coverage. Keep your hotel and embassy contacts offline as backups.
Call from a phone that is connected to a Korean mobile network. If your travel SIM cannot place calls, ask hotel, station, airport, or shop staff to call 112 or 119 immediately; do not spend an emergency troubleshooting a data-only eSIM.
The numbers, at a glance
| Number | What it is | English support |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Police (crime, accidents, safety threats) | The police operate a 24-hour foreign-language interpretation center; say “English” |
| 119 | Fire, ambulance, rescue | Foreign callers can be connected to interpretation; say “English” and give the location first |
| 1330 | Non-emergency Korea Travel Helpline | Multilingual call/chat when the service is operating; check the current VISITKOREA status first |
| 120 | Seoul Dasan city services line | For city-service issues, English offered in limited hours |
| 1345 | Immigration information center | Visa/stay questions, multilingual |
Airport-specific problems (missed connections, items left on a plane) go through the airline and Incheon Airport's own information desks — start at the airport's official site.
Medical: from pharmacy to emergency room
- Minor issues (colds, blisters, stomach trouble): look for a pharmacy (약국, yakguk). Show the pharmacist your symptoms, allergies, current medicines, and pregnancy status through a translation app if needed. Do not assume a familiar brand has the same ingredients or dose in Korea.
- Finding an open pharmacy or clinic at night or on holidays: the official E-Gen portal (linked below) maps currently open pharmacies, clinics, and ERs. Confirm by phone before traveling across town — listed hours and reality can diverge.
- Urgent but not immediately life-threatening: use E-Gen to identify an emergency room or currently open clinic, then call the facility before traveling if you can. If you are unsure whether it is safe to move the patient, call 119 and follow the dispatcher's instructions.
- Life-threatening or unsafe to move: call 119. Say “English,” give the location first, describe the condition, and follow the dispatcher's instructions.
- Payment and insurance: visitors may need to pay the medical provider and claim eligible costs from their travel insurer later. Before treatment when circumstances allow, ask the provider about the expected charge and ask your insurer which receipts, itemized statements, or medical reports it requires. Never delay a genuine emergency call to settle insurance paperwork.
Police and the Tourist Police
- For crimes, scams, or accidents, call 112 — say "English, please" and hold for interpretation.
- Tourist Police desks and patrol locations can change. For a current location or an incident that needs police attention, use the National Police Agency's English information or call 112 instead of relying on an old blog map.
- For an insurance claim after theft, ask the insurer what police documentation it requires, then go to the nearest police station (지구대/파출소) with your passport and incident details. If language stalls, ask whether an interpreter can be connected; use 1330 only after confirming the service is operating.
- Common tourist-area frictions — taxi overcharging, club entry disputes, rental deposit arguments — are exactly what the Tourist Police exist for. Don't escalate in person; bring the uniformed third party in.
Lost something? Act in this order
- Where did you lose it? Taxi: keep the receipt or card-payment record and contact the taxi company or local lost-property channel shown there. Subway: contact that operator's current lost-and-found office. Restaurant/cafe: call or return promptly. Do not assume every receipt contains enough data to identify the vehicle.
- Check the national lost-and-found portal (Lost112, run by the police — linked below): found items across the country are logged there with photos. Search it over several days; postings lag pickups.
- Phones: put your own phone into lost mode from another trusted device, then follow steps 1–2. Do not meet an unknown finder alone or share a device passcode to prove ownership.
- Passport: report to police (get the report), then contact your embassy for an emergency travel document. Start this the same day — replacement timelines, not airline sympathy, determine whether you make your flight.
- Cards: freeze in your banking app first, hunt second. See the ATM guide for surviving on cash meanwhile.
When things go wrong beyond the script
- You need to explain a complex non-emergency situation and nobody understands: check the official 1330 status page and try the call/chat only if it is operating. For police, fire, ambulance, or an immediate threat, call 112/119 directly and ask for English assistance.
- Disaster alerts (loud phone sirens with Korean text): these are Emergency Alert broadcasts (heavy rain, heat, civil defense drills). Translate with Papago's camera; most are advisories. Follow what locals around you do.
- You are out of money entirely: use the official website or saved number for your embassy or consulate and ask about its emergency-assistance process. Do not trust a number supplied only by a stranger or search ad.
- Something feels unsafe at your accommodation: leave for a staffed public place if you can do so safely. Call 112 for an actual threat; contact the booking platform or hotel chain through its official app for a non-emergency relocation.
Korean phrases to show
| Korean | Romanization | When to show it |
|---|---|---|
| 도와주세요! | Dowajuseyo! | Help! |
| 경찰을 불러 주세요. | Gyeongchareul bulleo juseyo. | Please call the police |
| 구급차를 불러 주세요. | Gugeupchareul bulleo juseyo. | Please call an ambulance |
| 여권을 잃어버렸어요. | Yeogwoneul ireobeoryeosseoyo. | I lost my passport |
| 휴대폰을 잃어버렸어요. | Hyudaeponeul ireobeoryeosseoyo. | I lost my phone |
| 영어 통역이 필요해요. | Yeongeo tongyeogi piryohaeyo. | I need an English interpreter |
| 가장 가까운 병원이 어디예요? | Gajang gakkaun byeongwoni eodiyeyo? | Where is the nearest hospital? |
FAQ
Does 112 or 119 really work in English?
Yes, official public guidance describes interpretation support for foreign callers. The police announced 24-hour operation of its 112 foreign-language interpretation center in 2024, and Seoul's official foreign-resident guide says 119 connects foreign callers to third-party interpretation. Say “English,” speak slowly, state your location first, and remain on the line while help is arranged.
What exactly can 1330 do for me?
KTO describes 1330 as a telephone/chat service for tourism information, interpretation, and complaints. However, its January 20, 2026 maintenance notice said call/chat was temporarily unavailable until further notice, and the current service page does not state a clear restoration time. Check the live page and test the channel for non-emergency use. For immediate danger, police, fire, rescue, or a medical emergency, call 112/119 directly.
How do I find my country's embassy?
Use your foreign ministry's official embassy directory or the embassy's verified government domain before you travel, then save its address and after-hours emergency number offline. Avoid copying a number from a search advertisement or an unverified map listing.
Are ambulances free?
Seoul's official foreign-resident guide states that the public 119 ambulance service is free. A private ambulance supplied by a medical institution can charge by distance and staffing, and hospital treatment is separate. Insurance reimbursement depends on your policy, so keep the documents your insurer requires. Do not let cost anxiety delay a genuine emergency call.
What happens if I overstay or lose track of my visa-free days?
Contact the official 1345 Immigration Contact Center before your permitted stay expires. Do not rely on a blog to calculate your lawful-stay end date or possible consequences; confirm the date shown by immigration and keep a phone reminder.
Information that can change
Language-service hours, desk locations, and portal addresses can change. Save 112 and 119, keep your embassy and accommodation contacts offline, and use the official pages below to confirm non-emergency 1330 availability.
- 120, 1345, and Tourist Police language support and desk hours can change; check their official service pages for non-emergencies.
- E-Gen and Lost112 page addresses or English interfaces can change; start from the official homepages linked below.
- For immediate danger, call 112 or 119 first and clearly say “English”; do not delay the call while searching for a translated webpage.
- Save your own embassy's official daytime and after-hours contacts before departure.
Official sources
- Korea National Police Agency (English): https://www.police.go.kr/eng/ (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- Korea National Police Agency — 112 foreign-language interpretation center announcement (2024-03-18): https://www.police.go.kr/user/bbs/BD_selectBbs.do?q_bbsCode=1002&q_bbscttSn=20240318135339434 (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- National Fire Agency 119: https://www.119.go.kr/ (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — official foreign-resident guide (119 interpretation and ambulance charges): https://english.seoul.go.kr/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2024_Living_in_Seoul.pdf (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- Lost112 — national lost & found portal: https://lost112.go.kr/index.do (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- E-Gen emergency medical portal: https://www.e-gen.or.kr/egen/main.do (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- Korea Tourism Organization — 1330 helpline: https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/ (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- KTO notice — 1330 call/chat temporarily unavailable (2026-01-20): https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/contentsView.do?menuSn=177&vcontsId=1563621 (새 창 / opens in a new window)
Last verified: 2026-08-13. Service hours and language coverage change; the official pages above are the final word.
Related Korea travel guides
- First trip to Korea: complete arrival checklist
- How to withdraw cash from a Korean ATM
- How to use Naver Map in English
What to find on the actual screen
Menu names can change. Match the purpose and final status below instead of relying only on an old screenshot.
| Screen | What to do | Proof that it worked |
|---|---|---|
| Saved offline 112 and 119 details | Save 112 for police and 119 for fire or medical emergencies, plus your embassy and insurer contacts, offline. | Confirm the fare, route, hours, reservation status, and result for your travel date. |
| Current location and nearest suitable facility | In immediate danger, call 112 or 119 and give the location, incident, injuries, and language needed. | Confirm the fare, route, hours, reservation status, and result for your travel date. |
| Call, incident, lost-item, or treatment record | For a lost item without immediate danger, record the place and time and use the appropriate police lost-property channel. | Confirm the fare, route, hours, reservation status, and result for your travel date. |
A one-minute real-world example
First-time visitors to Korea who need a reliable, step-by-step answer for: Emergency Numbers in Korea: Police, Ambulance, Lost Items, and English Help Start with “Save 112 for police and 119 for fire or medical emergencies, plus your embassy and insurer contacts, offline.” and do not stop at a button click; finish by checking “Call, incident, lost-item, or treatment record”.
If the screen or result is different
- Check the account, name, date, region, and eligibility shown on the page.
- Save the error wording, time, and current URL without exposing personal data.
- Do not submit repeatedly. Use the official help channel and provide the saved details.
Completion rule: You are done only when “Call, incident, lost-item, or treatment record” shows the result of “Keep the call, incident, lost-item, or treatment record needed for follow-up and insurance.” Confirm the fare, route, operating hours, reservation status, and any receipt or confirmation shown for your actual travel date.
Important: Do not delay an immediate 112 or 119 call while searching for a tourism helpline; service language and tourism-help availability can change.