Save these details before you need urgent help
In an emergency, your location is often the first useful piece of information. Keep your accommodation address in Korean where you can find it without searching.
By Seemile · Sources checked
Know which service to contact
- Call 119 for fire or an urgent medical emergency.
- Call 112 for police help with crime or immediate danger.
- For an ordinary administrative question, use the relevant service office rather than an emergency line.
Explain the location first
- Give the road-name address, building and floor if you know them.
- State what happened and how many people need help.
- Ask for language assistance and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
Prepare on a quiet day
- Save your hotel or home address and an emergency contact offline.
- Know the building’s marked exits and where to meet outside.
- Keep identification and insurance information accessible, but do not delay an emergency call to find paperwork.
A little Korean goes a long way
- 구급차를 보내 주세요. — Please send an ambulance.
- 주소는 여기입니다. — This is the address.
Official information
- My Seoul+ · Safety and emergency reporting — Seoul Metropolitan Government
- My Seoul+ · Driving — Seoul Metropolitan Government
Keep going
Your first visit to a Korean clinic
For routine, non-emergency care, a nearby clinic can be a practical starting point. Call first if you need a particular language or are unsure which department to visit.
At the pharmacy: explain, check, then take it home
Bring the prescription if a clinician has given you one. At the counter, explain your situation rather than choosing medicine by package colour or a familiar-looking name.
Arrange language help before a medical appointment
A hospital’s international desk and a community interpretation service are different arrangements. Ask what is available for your appointment before the day of the visit.
Health insurance: check when your cover starts
Do not assume everyone waits the same number of months. Employment, residence status and student category can affect when National Health Insurance applies.