Emergencies and pharmacies in Korea: who to call

Which number do you call in an emergency in Korea?

Call 119 for fire and medical emergencies, including an ambulance, and 112 for the police. Other helplines are for information and are not a substitute for 119.

What if you cannot speak Korean on the phone?

Say "English please" or "Interpreter please" when 119 or 112 answers, and the operator will connect an interpreter. Stay on the line and give your location as precisely as you can.

• Know the address of where you are staying, in Korean if possible.
• The Korea Tourism Organization recommends two government apps to visitors: Emergency Ready, which is available in 14 languages and connects to 119, and the Baro Emergency Reporting App.
• Emergency Ready does not show hospital locations, so it does not replace a call when you need care.
• Ask hotel staff or the person with you to call if speaking is difficult.

Is an ambulance free in Korea?

A 119 ambulance is free of charge anywhere in Korea, whatever the distance, but it is only for genuine emergencies. The treatment you receive at the emergency room is billed by the hospital.

Private ambulances, used for non-emergency transport or transfers between hospitals, charge a regulated fee.

How do you find an emergency room or a pharmacy that is open?

The national E-Gen portal has search tools for emergency rooms, hospitals and pharmacies, but the search is in Korean. If you do not read Korean, a phone call is the dependable route: 119 in an emergency, or 1330 between 07:00 and midnight.

• The E-Gen pharmacy search shows whether a pharmacy is open now and on public holidays, and lists pharmacies open after 22:00.
• Phone before you go, because opening hours change.
• Ask your accommodation or your hospital coordinator to check for you.
• The TripDoc app shows emergency rooms, night clinics and night pharmacies on a map based on your location.

What should you do if something feels wrong after a procedure?

Contact the hospital that treated you first, using the contact it gave you for aftercare. If the symptoms are severe or getting worse quickly, do not wait: call 119.

• Keep the hospital's aftercare contact and your treatment summary with you.
• Tell emergency staff what procedure you had, when, and what medicines you are taking.
• If you have already left Korea, see a doctor locally and contact the hospital in Korea in writing.