Emergency numbers are easy to ignore until the moment you need them.
When you are traveling in another country, knowing which number to call can make a stressful situation much easier to handle.
In Korea, three numbers are especially important for visitors:
119
112
1330
Each number has a different purpose. This guide explains what they mean, when to use them, and how to prepare before your trip.
This article is not legal or medical advice. It is a practical travel safety guide.
Quick Summary
Here is the simplest version:
119
Ambulance, fire, and emergency rescue
112
Police
1330
Korea Travel Helpline for tourist information and interpretation support
If someone is seriously injured, having trouble breathing, unconscious, or in urgent danger, call 119 or 112 depending on the situation.
If you need travel help, language support, or guidance as a visitor, contact 1330.
119: Ambulance, Fire, and Emergency Rescue
Call 119 for medical emergencies, fire, and rescue situations.
Use 119 if you need:
- An ambulance
- Fire emergency help
- Emergency rescue
- Help after a serious accident
- Urgent medical response
Examples include:
- Severe injury
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Serious allergic reaction
- Severe bleeding
- Fire
- Major accident
If you are not sure whether your situation is serious, choose safety.
In an emergency, it is better to ask for help quickly than to wait too long.
What to Say When Calling 119
If you do not speak Korean, keep your words simple.
Say:
“Emergency.”
“Ambulance.”
“English, please.”
If possible, prepare your location before calling.
You can show or read:
- Hotel name
- Building name
- Street address
- Nearby subway station
- Nearby landmark
- Room number or floor
- Phone number
In Korea, location is extremely important. Emergency help needs to know where to go.
If you are at a hotel, ask hotel staff for help immediately.
112: Police
Call 112 if you need police assistance.
Use 112 for situations such as:
- Theft
- Assault
- Threats
- Harassment
- Dangerous behavior
- Traffic accident requiring police
- Feeling unsafe
- Lost property in some situations
If there is immediate danger, call 112.
If the situation is not urgent, you may also ask hotel staff, station staff, or a local information center for guidance.
1330: Korea Travel Helpline
1330 is the Korea Travel Helpline.
For visitors, this number can be very useful because it provides tourist information and interpretation support.
You can use 1330 for:
- Travel information
- Transportation questions
- Tourist complaints
- Interpretation help
- General guidance for visitors
- Help understanding what to do next
1330 is not a replacement for emergency services. If someone needs an ambulance, call 119. If police are needed, call 112.
But if your problem is language or travel-related confusion, 1330 can help you find the next step.
When to Use 1330 Instead of 119 or 112
Use 1330 when the situation is not immediately life-threatening or dangerous, but you need help as a foreign visitor.
Examples:
- You need help explaining something in Korean
- You are confused about where to go
- You need tourist information
- You need interpretation support
- You are unsure how to communicate with local staff
- You need help understanding a travel-related issue
If the situation becomes urgent, call 119 or 112 directly.
Save These Numbers Before You Travel
Do not wait until something happens.
Before coming to Korea, save these numbers in your phone:
Korea Ambulance / Fire: 119
Korea Police: 112
Korea Travel Helpline: 1330
Also save:
- Your hotel phone number
- Your embassy or consulate contact
- Travel insurance emergency number
- A local contact if you have one
- Your passport photo page
- Your medication and allergy information
This takes ten minutes before your trip and can save you a lot of stress later.
Location Matters More Than Explanation
In an emergency, the most important information is your location.
If you are nervous or cannot explain everything, focus on where you are.
Useful location details include:
- Hotel name
- Address
- Subway station
- Exit number
- Landmark
- Building floor
- Room number
- Store name
- Screenshot of map location
A good habit is to save your hotel address in both English and Korean.
Korean address:
한국어 주소
English address:
English address
Keep both in your phone.
If You Are at a Hotel
If you are staying at a hotel and something happens, contact the front desk immediately.
Hotel staff can help call emergency services, explain your location, and communicate in Korean.
Even if your Korean is limited, hotel staff can often help bridge the gap quickly.
If You Are on the Street
If something happens on the street, move to a safe place if possible.
Look for:
- Convenience store
- Subway station staff
- Police station
- Hotel lobby
- Large shop
- Information center
If you need to call emergency services, stay visible and describe a nearby landmark.
If You Need Medical Help But It Is Not an Emergency
If it is not an emergency, you may not need 119.
For mild symptoms, you may visit:
- Pharmacy
- Local clinic
- International clinic
- Hospital outpatient department
If you are unsure, ask your hotel, travel insurance provider, or 1330 for guidance.
But if symptoms are severe or worsening, do not delay emergency care.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not assume your home country’s emergency number works in Korea.
Do not rely only on internet search during an emergency.
Do not wait too long if symptoms are severe.
Do not forget to prepare your location.
Do not use 1330 as a substitute for emergency medical or police response.
Do not leave your travel insurance emergency contact buried in your email.
Korea Compass Note
A small local tip that saves you from a big headache:
Create one note on your phone called “Korea Emergency Info.”
Put these inside:
119
112
1330
Hotel address in Korean
Hotel phone number
Passport number
Insurance emergency contact
Medication allergies
Emergency contact at home
If something happens, you do not want to search through emails, screenshots, and booking apps.
One note. Easy to find. Ready when needed.
Final Thoughts
Most trips to Korea are safe and smooth.
You may never need emergency numbers. Hopefully, you will not.
But knowing them gives you confidence.
Remember:
119 for ambulance, fire, and rescue.
112 for police.
1330 for travel help and interpretation support.
Save them before your trip.
A calm traveler is not someone who expects problems. It is someone who knows what to do if one appears.