Calling 119 in an Emergency

Dial 119 for fire, medical, and rescue emergencies. The 119 service provides ambulance transport to the nearest hospital at no charge. When a foreigner calls 119, the call is automatically connected to a third-party interpretation service to facilitate communication.

From a cell phone, dial 119 without an area code. From a public phone, press the red emergency button and then dial 119.

For 24-hour online emergency requests, submit an application (Korean or English) by fax (1544-9119) or text message (119).

Important Note on Hospital Ambulances

The public 119 ambulance is free. However, if you use an ambulance provided by a hospital or medical institution, you will be charged a service fee based on distance traveled. Additional fees apply if a doctor, nurse, or paramedic rides with you. Surcharges are added between midnight and 4 AM.

Other Emergency Numbers

• Police: 112
• Fire/Ambulance: 119
• Immigration Contact Center: 1345 (20 languages)
• Dasan Seoul Call Center: 120 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian, Vietnamese)
• Korea Tourism Organization Tourist Info: 1330
• Danuri Helpline (multicultural families): 1577-1366
• Women's Hotline: 1366
• BBB Korea (3-way interpretation for any situation): 1588-5644
• Suicide Prevention Center: 1577-0199
• School Violence Hotline: 117
• Help Call for Teenagers: 1388
• Cyber Terrorism Report: 118
• Railway Crime Report: 1588-7722
• Lost and Found (police): 182, www.lost112.go.kr

Medical Korea Information Center

This center provides one-stop medical support for foreign patients, including hospital information and consultation in English, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese. If you need an interpreter, they will assign one. Phone: 1577-7129. Location: 85 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

International SOS

A membership-based emergency service offering medical rescue, evacuation, and repatriation in English, Japanese, and French, 24 hours a day. Phone: 02-3140-1700. Website: www.internationalsos.co.kr

What to Do at a Traffic Accident

If you are involved in or witness a traffic accident:

• Stop the car immediately and check for injuries.
• Provide assistance to casualties if possible.
• Call 112 (police) to report. Provide: location, number of casualties and injury severity, property damage, and other relevant details.
• If you witness a hit-and-run, note the license plate number, vehicle model, and color, then call 112.
• Do not smoke at the scene — there may be oil spills or flammable materials.

Basic First Aid: CPR Steps

If someone is unconscious and not breathing after an accident:

• Step 1: Check for cardiac arrest — tap the person and call out to them.
• Step 2: Ask others nearby to call 119 and bring an AED if available.
• Step 3: Push straight down on the center of the chest 30 times (hard and fast).
• Step 4: Give two rescue breaths.
• Step 5: Repeat chest compressions and breaths until help arrives.

If the patient has a broken bone, do not move them. Wait for the ambulance — moving them may worsen the injury.

If the patient is unconscious, remove blood or vomit from the mouth to keep the airway clear.

Holiday and Nighttime Pharmacies

Most pharmacies are closed on Sundays and holidays. To find an open pharmacy, visit www.pharm114.or.kr (Korean) for business hours, addresses, and schedules of designated holiday pharmacies.

General medications (digestive medicine, vitamins, cold medicine) can be purchased without a prescription. Prescription drugs (antibiotics, hormones, painkillers) require a Korean prescription — prescriptions from other countries are not accepted.

If you are allergic to certain medications, inform the pharmacist before purchasing. If you take regular prescription drugs, bring a sufficient supply when entering Korea.

Medical Services for the Underprivileged

Foreign workers and their children (under 18) who are not covered by health insurance or medical aid may qualify for government medical support. This also applies to marriage immigrants who have not yet acquired Korean nationality, refugees, and their children.

Coverage includes hospitalization, surgery (including same-day outpatient), and prenatal care. The government covers 90% of medical expenses from admission to discharge — the patient pays 10%, with a maximum of 5,000,000 KRW per treatment.

To apply, visit a designated medical center and have your eligibility verified. Inquiries: Health Policy Division 041-635-2644.

Healthy Neighbor Center

Founded by Seoul National University Hospital, Korea Red Cross, and Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation to help medically underprivileged people including multicultural families, foreign workers, and refugees.

Location: 3F, Seoul Red Cross Hospital, 9 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Phone: 02-2002-8683. Website: hncenter.or.kr