Quick steps for a medical emergency, a lost passport, a lost phone or wallet, or something left in a taxi. Save this page before you travel.
Call now
112 police. English and Chinese interpretation is available, 24 hours (reported March 2024). 112
119 fire and ambulance, for life-threatening emergencies. 119
1330 Korea Travel Hotline: free, 24 hours, English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean. They can join a call to a hospital or shop as an interpreter. 1330
Not sure whom to call? Start with 1330. Dial 119 for a medical emergency and 112 for a crime, then use 1330 for help with language. Calls from a foreign phone should work on local SIMs and eSIMs; if you have no data or signal, ask a shop or hotel staff member to call for you.
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Korean
Sounds like
Meaning
도와주세요
Dowajuseyo
Please help me
구급차를 불러 주세요
Gugeupchareul bulleo juseyo
Please call an ambulance
경찰을 불러 주세요
Gyeongchareul bulleo juseyo
Please call the police
병원에 가야 해요
Byeongwone gaya haeyo
I need to go to a hospital
여권을 잃어버렸어요
Yeogwoneul ilheobeoryeosseoyo
I lost my passport
지갑을 도난당했어요
Jigabeul donandanghaesseoyo
My wallet was stolen
분실물 신고하고 싶어요
Bunsilmul singohago sipeoyo
I want to report a lost item
영어 하시는 분 계세요?
Yeongeo hasineun bun gyeseyo?
Does anyone here speak English?
Pick your situation
I am hurt or very sick
Call 119 for an ambulance. Say where you are: a building name, a subway exit or a landmark. Share your location from a map app if you can.
For less serious problems, go to a clinic (의원) or, for serious ones, a hospital emergency room (응급실). Bring your passport. See Essentials for clinics, pharmacies and prices.
Call 1330 if you need help with the language or with finding a hospital.
Keep the itemized receipt, the diagnosis and any prescription for your travel insurance.
I lost something (taxi, subway, cafe, street)
Still in the subway station: go to the station office and tell staff your route and time. Showing your T-money card can help them trace your trip.
Left on a train later: call Seoul Metro at 1577-1234 or Korail at 1599-7777.
Taxi: if you booked with Kakao T or another app, contact the driver or the service center in the app. If you paid with T-money, call the T-money center at 1644-1188 (reported: press 2 for driver information). If you paid by card or cash, the receipt shows the company.
Police: lost items often end up at a nearby police station (경찰서) or police box (파출소). The Police Call Center 182 (reported: weekdays 09:00 to 18:00) can help, and the national police lost-and-found search is at minwon24.police.go.kr, which has an English option.
Transit operators usually hold found items for a few days (reported: about 7 days) before passing them to the police, so call soon. Bring your passport when you pick something up.
I lost my passport or it was stolen
Retrace your steps and check the hotel, taxi and shops first (see the lost-item steps above).
File a loss or theft report at the nearest police station. Keep the police report confirmation, because your embassy and your insurer will ask for it.
Contact your embassy or consulate to apply for an emergency or temporary travel document. They usually ask for passport photos and the police report, and your travel may be limited until it is issued.
Questions about your visa or length of stay: call the immigration contact center 1345 (weekdays, not an emergency line).
Before your trip, take a photo of your passport page and keep it somewhere safe. It speeds everything up.
My wallet, card or phone is lost or stolen
Cards: call your card issuer right away to freeze the card (use the number on your bank's website or app, because the card itself is gone). Many banks let you lock a card in the app.
Phone: use your phone's find-and-lock tool (Apple Find My, or Google's Find My Device) from another device, and lock or erase it if needed. Ask your carrier or eSIM provider to suspend the line.
Report it: file a police report if it was stolen. Insurers and embassies usually require one.
Keep a little emergency cash separate from your wallet, and a second payment card in another bag.
A taxi or shop charged me too much, or I think it is a scam
Stay calm, ask for a receipt and take a photo of the taxi's plate number and the meter.
Call 1330 for help in English. They can join a call with the driver or shop as an interpreter.
If you feel unsafe or someone threatens you, call 112.
My phone sounds a loud alert (typhoon, heat, earthquake)
Korean emergency alert texts are often in Korean only. Copy the text into Papago or a translation app, or ask staff nearby.
The government's Emergency Ready App for foreigners (reported languages: English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese) sends alerts, safety guides and the locations of nearby shelters, hospitals and embassies. It was introduced for foreign residents, but visitors can install it too. Find it through the Ministry of Justice immigration notice or your app store.
If you are in danger, call 119. For help with the language, call 1330.
Data last checked: 29 Oct 2026 from public sources (news reports, official notices and operator pages). Phone numbers, hours and language support can change, so confirm on the official sites if you have time. This page is not an official source and is not medical or legal advice. In any life-threatening situation, call 119 first.
Staying safe in Korea as a visitor
Korea is generally considered a safe country to travel in, and most trips go smoothly. Problems visitors report most often are lost phones, items left in taxis, a lost passport and getting sick. This guide gathers what to do and who to call so you can act quickly, even when you do not read Korean.
Before you go
Save 112, 119 and 1330 in your phone, and screenshot this page for offline use.
Buy travel insurance that covers medical care and theft, and keep the policy number handy.
Photograph your passport page and keep a copy separate from the original.
Set up a SIM or eSIM first so maps, translation and calls work. See Money and SIM.
FAQ
What is the emergency number in Korea? Call 112 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free. The police line has English and Chinese interpretation, and 1330 is the Korea Travel Hotline for tourist help in English.
What should I do if I lose my passport in Korea? File a loss report at the nearest police station and keep the confirmation. Then contact your embassy or consulate to apply for an emergency travel document. They usually ask for photos and the police report.
How do I find something I left in a taxi or on the subway in Seoul? On the subway, ask at the station office or call Seoul Metro at 1577-1234. For a taxi, contact the driver through the app, or call the T-money center at 1644-1188 if you paid with T-money. You can also search the police lost-and-found at minwon24.police.go.kr.
Who can interpret for me in an emergency? The 112 police line connects English and Chinese speakers to an interpreter, and the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline can join a call to a hospital or shop as an interpreter.