In an emergency, call 112 for the police and 119 for fire, ambulance or rescue. Both are free, work from any phone, and can bring an interpreter onto the call if you say your language in English. For non-emergency help in your language, the most useful numbers are 1345 (immigration and daily life), 1330 (24-hour interpretation) and 1577-1366 (Danuri, 24 hours).
Key facts
| Police | 112 |
| Fire, ambulance, rescue | 119 |
| Sea emergencies | 122 (Korea Coast Guard) |
| Interpretation, 24 hours | 1330 |
| Immigration and daily life | 1345 (weekdays 09:00 to 22:00) |
| Families, marriage migrants, violence | 1577-1366 (Danuri, 24 hours) |
| Suicide and emotional crisis | 109 (24 hours) |
All numbers are dialed without an area code (국번 없이).
Emergencies: 112 and 119
119 handles fires, ambulances, rescues and urgent medical advice. Ambulance transport by 119 is free. Say what happened and where. If you cannot speak Korean, say “English” (or your language) and the operator connects an interpreter through a three-way call.
112 is the police: crimes, traffic accidents, fights, stalking, a missing child. You can also report by text message to 112 or 119 when speaking is not safe.
Know your address in Korean. Save your home address, written in Hangul, in your phone notes. Nearby building names, a shop sign or the number on a streetlight pole (전봇대) also help responders find you.
For non-urgent police matters, such as reporting a lost item, use 182 or the police lost-and-found site lost112.go.kr. See Dealing with the Police.
Help in your language
| Number | Service | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 1345 | Immigration Contact Center (외국인종합안내센터) | Visas, residence cards, daily-life questions, in 20 languages. Weekdays 09:00 to 22:00; after 18:00 Korean, English and Chinese only. Press 1 to report human rights violations. |
| 1330 | Korea Travel Hotline (관광통역안내) | 24 hours. Interpretation and travel help in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai and Malay/Indonesian. Can help you talk to a taxi driver, shop or clinic. |
| 1577-1366 | Danuri Call Center (다누리콜센터) | 24 hours in 13 languages. For multicultural families and migrant women: family conflict, domestic violence, emergency shelter, interpretation. Note the full number; 1366 alone is a different line. |
| 120 | Dasan Call Center (Seoul) | Seoul city information, with foreign-language support. |
Health and mental health
- 109: national suicide prevention line, 24 hours, confidential. It replaced several older crisis numbers in 2024. Counseling is in Korean; if you need another language, ask 1330 to help connect you.
- 129: Health and Welfare Call Center (보건복지상담센터) for welfare benefits and crisis support.
- 1339: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (질병관리청) for infectious disease questions.
- For clinics and pharmacies open at night or on holidays, use the Emergency Medical Portal (e-gen.or.kr). See How Hospitals Work in Korea.
Violence, abuse and safety
- 1366: Women’s Emergency Line (여성긴급전화), 24 hours, for domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking.
- 1388: Youth counseling for anyone under 24.
- 117: School violence reporting and counseling.
Work, money and legal problems
| Number | Service |
|---|---|
| 1350 | Ministry of Employment and Labor call center: unpaid wages, labor rights |
| 1644-0644 | Foreign Workforce Counseling Center (외국인력상담센터), for workers under the Employment Permit System |
| 132 | Korea Legal Aid Corporation: free legal advice |
| 110 | Government Call Center for questions about any ministry |
For more, see Unpaid Wages and Free Legal Help.
Disasters and alerts
Korea sends emergency alerts (재난문자) to phones for earthquakes, heavy rain, heat waves, fires and missing persons. Most alerts are in Korean. The government’s Emergency Ready app (안전디딤돌) shows alerts, shelters and safety tips in several languages. In an air-raid or civil defense drill, follow people to the nearest underground shelter, often a subway station.
Your embassy
Save your embassy’s emergency number. Embassies help with lost passports, arrests and serious accidents, but cannot pay your bills or get you out of legal trouble.
Common questions
Does calling 119 cost money?
The call and the ambulance ride are free. Hospital treatment is charged as normal, with health insurance if you have it.
What if I don’t have a Korean SIM card?
Emergency calls to 112 and 119 work from any phone with signal. For other numbers you need a working line; 1330 and 1345 can also be reached from abroad with +82-2-1330 or +82-2-1345.
Will calling the police affect my visa?
Reporting a crime as a victim or witness does not hurt a legal visa. For people without legal status, Korea has a notification exemption system (통보의무 면제) that in many cases lets crime victims report to the police without being referred to immigration. Ask a migrant support center or 1345 if you are worried.
Which number should I call for a stolen wallet?
Call 112 if it just happened or you are in danger. Otherwise visit the nearest police box (파출소 or 지구대) to report it.
Official sources
This guide explains the general rules as of the date above. Rules change and every case is different, so confirm with the office named here (or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center) before an important decision. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.