An emergency can be stressful anywhere, but it can feel even more difficult when you are traveling in a country where you do not speak the language.
Fortunately, Korea has simple nationwide emergency numbers for police, fire, and ambulance services. Foreign travelers can also request interpretation assistance when contacting emergency services.
This guide explains the most important emergency numbers in Korea, when to call 112 or 119, how to request an interpreter, and where travelers can get additional help.
Emergency Numbers in Korea at a Glance
| Number | Service | When to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Police | Crime, theft, threats, violence, or immediate police assistance |
| 119 | Fire & Ambulance | Fire, serious injury, medical emergency, or rescue |
| 1330 | Korea Travel Helpline | Travel information, tourist interpretation, and tourism-related assistance |
| 1339 | Infectious Disease Information | Infectious disease-related inquiries |
If someone’s life or safety is in immediate danger, contact 112 or 119 rather than relying on a general travel assistance service.
Call 112 for Police Assistance
112 is Korea’s police emergency number.
Travelers should consider calling 112 when they need immediate police assistance, including situations involving:
- Theft or robbery
- Physical threats or violence
- A serious crime in progress
- Immediate danger to a person or property
- Other situations requiring urgent police assistance
When the call connects, explain what happened and provide your location as clearly as possible.
If you do not speak Korean, say:
“English please.”
or
“Interpreter please.”
Official travel safety guidance for international visitors states that an operator can connect foreign callers with professional interpretation assistance.
Call 119 for an Ambulance or Fire Emergency
119 is the number to remember for fire, ambulance, and emergency rescue services in Korea.
Call 119 for situations such as:
- A serious injury
- A medical emergency
- A fire
- A person who is unconscious or having difficulty breathing
- An accident requiring emergency rescue
- Another situation requiring immediate ambulance or fire service assistance
If Korean is difficult for you, you can also request interpretation assistance after the call connects.
Try saying “English please” or “Interpreter please.”
What Information Should You Give 112 or 119?
Your location is one of the most important pieces of information during an emergency.
Try to provide:
- Your current location
- A nearby building or landmark
- The name of a subway station or bus stop
- A street address if available
- What happened
- Whether anyone is injured
- How many people need help
If you do not know the address, open a navigation app on your phone and look for your current location or a nearby landmark.
Official Korean travel safety guidance specifically recommends using nearby buildings or your smartphone’s GPS to help determine your location.
Our
How to Use Naver Map in Korea guide
can help you become familiar with Korean navigation before an emergency happens.
What If You Cannot Explain the Location in Korean?
Do not spend too much time trying to create a perfect Korean sentence.
Start with simple information that can identify where you are.
Useful information may include:
- A hotel name
- A subway station
- A major attraction
- A convenience store or building name
- A street address displayed in your map app
Keep your navigation app open so you can read or show the address if necessary.
What Is the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline?
1330 Korea Travel Helpline is operated by the Korea Tourism Organization for travelers in Korea.
It provides services including:
- Tourist information
- Tourist interpretation
- Travel-related assistance
- Tourism complaint support
The service also provides real-time online chat.
From within Korea, travelers can use 1330. The Korea Tourism Organization lists +82-2-1330 for calls from overseas.
For current service options, visit the
official 1330 Korea Travel Helpline page
.
Is 1330 an Emergency Number?
Do not confuse 1330 with Korea’s primary emergency response numbers.
If you need immediate police assistance, call 112.
If you need an ambulance, fire service, or emergency rescue, call 119.
Use 1330 primarily for tourism information, tourist interpretation, and tourism-related assistance.
This distinction is important because a life-threatening situation should be reported directly to the appropriate emergency service.
What Is 1339 Used For?
Current Korea Tourism Organization emergency information lists 1339 for infectious disease-related emergencies and inquiries.
Do not confuse 1339 with the ambulance number.
For an immediate medical emergency requiring an ambulance, use 119.
What If Your Phone Has Internet but Calling Is Difficult?
The 1330 Korea Travel Helpline provides online communication options in addition to conventional telephone assistance.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, travelers can access a real-time chat service, and an online voice-call option is also available. Wi-Fi can be used for the online call without a call charge, although mobile data charges may apply when using cellular data.
These services can be useful for non-life-threatening travel problems.
For an immediate police, medical, fire, or rescue emergency, however, use 112 or 119 whenever possible.
Useful Emergency Apps for Foreign Travelers
Korea also provides government-supported safety tools for international visitors.
The Emergency Ready app provides multilingual safety guidance and information designed for foreign residents and visitors.
Korean authorities have also introduced the Baro Emergency Reporting App, which supports multilingual emergency reporting using text and images.
Because app functions and supported languages can change, check the current official information before relying on an app during your trip.
What Should You Do If Your Wallet Is Stolen?
If you believe your wallet or belongings were stolen and you require police assistance, contact 112.
You should also contact your bank or card issuer as soon as possible to block stolen payment cards.
Do not keep all of your cash, cards, and identification in the same place while traveling.
For information about payments in Korea, see our
How to Pay in Korea guide
.
What Should You Do After a Traffic Accident?
If there are injuries or an immediate medical emergency, call 119.
If police assistance is required, call 112.
Move away from additional danger when it is safe to do so, and try to identify your exact location.
Do not rely on 1330 instead of emergency services when someone requires immediate medical or police assistance.
What If You Lose Your Passport?
A lost passport is different from an immediate police, fire, or medical emergency.
If the passport was stolen or the circumstances require a police report, contact the police for assistance.
You should also contact your country’s embassy or consulate in Korea for instructions on obtaining replacement travel documents.
Embassy procedures vary by country, so follow the instructions provided by your own diplomatic mission.
What If You Get Lost in Korea?
Simply being lost usually does not require an emergency call.
First, use a navigation app to identify your current location and destination.
If you need tourism information or language assistance, the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline may be useful.
If you are in immediate danger, however, use 112 or 119 as appropriate.
What Should You Save on Your Phone Before Traveling?
Before arriving in Korea, save a small emergency note on your phone containing:
- 112 — Police
- 119 — Fire / Ambulance / Rescue
- 1330 — Korea Travel Helpline
- Your hotel’s name and address
- Your travel insurance contact information
- Your country’s embassy or consulate information
- An emergency contact from home
Taking a screenshot is also useful because you can access the information even when mobile internet is unavailable.
Emergency Numbers in Korea: Quick Checklist
If you need help, remember this simple rule:
- Police emergency → 112
- Fire, ambulance, or rescue → 119
- Tourism information or tourist interpretation → 1330
- Infectious disease information → 1339
If you cannot speak Korean during a 112 or 119 call, say “English please” or “Interpreter please.”
Then provide your location and describe the situation as simply and clearly as possible.
Final Thoughts
You may never need to use the emergency numbers in Korea, but knowing them before your trip can save valuable time if something goes wrong.
The two most important numbers are simple: 112 for police and 119 for fire, ambulance, and rescue emergencies.
For non-emergency travel information, tourist interpretation, and tourism-related assistance, remember 1330.
Save these numbers on your phone before traveling, keep your hotel’s address easily accessible, and know how to find your current location using a navigation app.
A few minutes of preparation can make it much easier to get the right help when you need it.