Korea emergency numbers for tourists are simple once you know the three numbers that matter most: 112 for police, 119 for fire and medical emergencies, and 1330 for travel information and interpretation assistance.
When something goes wrong during a trip, however, remembering a number is only part of the problem. You may also need to explain your location, communicate without Korean, understand whether the situation is truly an emergency, or find reliable safety information during a disaster.
This guide explains what foreign visitors should know before they need help.
Korea emergency numbers for tourists: the quick answer
- 112 — Police
- 119 — Fire department and ambulance
- 1330 — Korea Travel Helpline for tourist information, interpretation and travel-related assistance
For a situation involving immediate danger to a person or property, use 112 or 119 rather than a general tourist information service.
Call 112 when you need the police
Dial 112 when you need police assistance in South Korea.
Examples can include theft, assault, threats, a serious dispute, a missing person, or another situation requiring police intervention.
You do not need to add a Korean area code when calling 112 from a phone in Korea.
Call 119 for fire or an ambulance
Dial 119 for fires, rescue situations, and medical emergencies requiring an ambulance.
This includes situations such as a serious injury, severe illness, loss of consciousness, difficulty breathing, or another event that may require urgent medical attention.
What if you do not speak Korean?
Language anxiety is one of the biggest concerns for foreign visitors.
The Korea Tourism Organization advises foreign travelers calling emergency services to ask for English or an interpreter when necessary.
Keep your explanation short at first.
Say what happened, whether anyone is injured, and where you are.
Your location is often more important than a perfect explanation
Emergency responders need to know where to find you.
If you cannot pronounce a Korean address, look for information that can identify your location, such as:
- A building name
- A hotel name
- A subway station and exit number
- A convenience store or large landmark nearby
- A road sign
- A Korean address displayed in a map app
Showing or reading a Korean address from your phone can be much easier than trying to translate the address yourself.
Save your hotel address in Korean
Before leaving your hotel, save the hotel’s Korean address on your phone.
A screenshot is useful because it remains available even if your mobile data connection fails.
This simple preparation can help with taxis, navigation, and emergency situations.
What is the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline?
1330 is operated for travelers who need tourism information and assistance in Korea.
It is useful when the situation is not an immediate police, fire, or medical emergency.
The service can provide travel information and multilingual assistance to international visitors.
When should a tourist call 1330?
1330 can be useful for situations such as:
- Travel information
- Tourist interpretation assistance
- Questions about transportation
- Help understanding a travel-related problem
- Tourist complaints or difficulties
It should not replace 112 or 119 when someone is in immediate danger.
1330 also offers online services
The Korea Tourism Organization provides 1330 assistance through more than traditional telephone calls.
Online voice calling and chat options are also available through its travel-help services.
This can be useful for visitors who have mobile data or Wi-Fi but are uncomfortable making a normal telephone call.
What is the Emergency Ready app?
Emergency Ready is a Korean government safety app designed to help foreign residents and visitors access disaster and emergency information.
The app provides multilingual safety information and guidance for various emergency situations.
It is worth installing before traveling rather than waiting until an emergency occurs.
What can Emergency Ready help with?
Depending on the current version and available services, Emergency Ready can provide information related to:
- Disaster alerts
- Safety guidance
- Emergency procedures
- Civil-defense and evacuation information
- Emergency-related public information
Features can change, so travelers should check the current app description before relying on a specific function.
What is the Baro Emergency Reporting app?
The Korean government also provides the Baro Emergency Reporting app.
According to VISITKOREA, it is designed to make emergency reporting easier through text and image-based interfaces and supports several languages used by foreign visitors.
This can be helpful when speaking Korean during an emergency would be difficult.
Do not depend on only one app
Emergency apps are useful, but your basic safety plan should not depend entirely on an app.
Your phone could have a low battery, poor reception, damaged hardware, or no mobile data.
Remember the core numbers:
- 112
- 119
- 1330
They are easier to remember than a long list of specialized services.
Prepare your phone before arriving in Korea
A few minutes of preparation can make an emergency much easier to handle.
Before or shortly after arriving in Korea:
- Save 112, 119 and 1330 in your contacts.
- Save your accommodation name and Korean address.
- Take a screenshot of the address.
- Install a reliable Korean map app.
- Install a translation app.
- Consider installing Emergency Ready.
- Make sure you have a working SIM or eSIM.
Why a Korean map app matters in an emergency
Many foreign travelers rely on the same map service they use at home.
In South Korea, NAVER Map and KakaoMap can often provide more locally detailed information for addresses, buildings, public transportation, and nearby places.
If you need to tell someone where you are, having the location visible in a Korean map service can be extremely useful.
Keep your phone connected
Emergency numbers are important, but a connected smartphone also helps you locate yourself, translate information, contact your accommodation, and receive public safety alerts.
A Korean SIM or eSIM can therefore be part of practical travel preparation rather than just a convenience for social media.
What to do if your phone is lost
A lost phone creates two problems at once: you lose your communication device and much of your travel information.
Keep essential details somewhere else as well.
Write down or print:
- Your hotel name
- Your hotel address
- An emergency contact
- Your travel insurance contact information
- Your passport number or a secure copy stored separately
Do not keep every important piece of information only on the phone that you might lose.
What if you lose your passport?
A lost or stolen passport is not only a tourism inconvenience.
You may need to report the loss and contact your country’s embassy or consulate in South Korea for instructions regarding replacement travel documents.
Your embassy’s contact information is worth saving before your trip.
What if you have a medical emergency?
For an urgent medical situation requiring an ambulance, call 119.
Do not spend valuable time searching for the perfect English-speaking hospital if the condition appears serious.
Emergency responders can help determine the appropriate next step.
What if the problem is not life-threatening?
Not every health issue requires an ambulance.
For a minor illness or injury, you may instead need a local clinic, pharmacy, hospital, travel insurer, or assistance from your hotel.
Translation tools and the 1330 Travel Helpline can also be useful when you need general travel assistance rather than emergency dispatch.
Emergency alerts can look alarming
Visitors may receive Korean public safety alerts on their phones.
These can concern severe weather, fires, missing persons, disasters, public safety incidents, or other local situations.
If you cannot understand the alert, translate it rather than immediately dismissing it.
Government safety apps can also provide additional context and guidance.
A simple emergency routine for travelers
If something serious happens, use this sequence:
- Move away from immediate danger if possible.
- Call 112 for police or 119 for fire and ambulance.
- Identify your location as clearly as possible.
- Ask for language assistance if needed.
- Follow instructions from emergency personnel.
- Contact your accommodation, insurer, embassy, or family afterward when appropriate.
Common mistakes foreign visitors make
- Searching online for an emergency number after the incident happens
- Not knowing their hotel address
- Depending entirely on English street names
- Assuming every problem should be reported to the same service
- Using 1330 instead of 112 or 119 during an immediate emergency
- Keeping all important travel information only on one phone
- Ignoring Korean emergency alerts because they cannot read them
Korea emergency numbers for tourists: what to remember
You do not need to memorize dozens of Korean public-service numbers.
For most visitors, the essential system is straightforward.
112 means police. 119 means fire and ambulance. 1330 means travel help and interpretation.
Combine those numbers with a saved Korean address, a working phone connection, a map app, and a translation tool, and you will be much better prepared for unexpected situations.
Related BestSpot Guides
- apps to install before landing at Incheon Airport
- Korean SIM card vs eSIM for visitors
- Google Maps in South Korea and local alternatives
Bottom line
Korea emergency numbers for tourists are easy to remember: 112 for police, 119 for fire or ambulance, and 1330 for tourist assistance.
Save them before your trip, keep your Korean accommodation address available offline, and prepare your phone with maps, translation, connectivity, and government safety information.
Most travelers will never need emergency services. But knowing what to do before something happens is far easier than figuring it out during a stressful situation.
Sources
- VISITKOREA — Disaster Safety Services for International Visitors in Korea
- VISITKOREA — 1330 Travel Helpline & Complaint Center
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — Emergency Ready App
Updated: October 2026. Emergency services, app features and public-safety services can change, so check current Korean government information when traveling.