Can I see a doctor without Korean health insurance?

Yes. Short-term visitors should normally be ready to pay at the time of treatment unless their insurer has arranged direct billing. Large hospitals have international health care centers with interpreters, and VisitKorea lists 14 international hospitals. Keep receipts for your travel insurance.

• ✓Many large hospitals run an International Health Care Center with interpreters.
• ✓VisitKorea lists 14 international hospitals, including Seoul Asan Medical Center, Severance Hospital and Samsung Medical Center.
• △Short-term visitors should normally be ready to pay at the time of treatment, so costs can be significant without insurance. Some international hospitals offer direct billing with certain insurers.
• •The 1330 Travel Helpline can help find a hospital that speaks your language.

• •Passport
• •Travel insurance details and receipts for claims

• •A pharmacist for minor problems

• 🩺Can I buy medicine at a pharmacy in Korea?Yes, pharmacists dispense many over-the-counter medicines for common problems without a prescription. More complex medicines need a prescription.✓YES, WITH CONDITIONSHealth & MedicineView answer →
• 🛡️Can I call 119 or 112 without speaking Korean?Yes. 112 (police) and 119 (fire and ambulance) have interpretation support for major foreign languages, and the 1330 Travel Helpline can help you in English, Japanese and Chinese.✓YESSafetyView answer →
• 🩺Can I find a pharmacy open at night?Yes. Duty pharmacies operate at night, on weekends and on public holidays, and you can find them on the Korean Pharmaceutical Association’s late-night and holiday pharmacy sites. Seoul also runs public late-night pharmacies.✓YES, WITH CONDITIONSHealth & MedicineView answer →

• VisitKorea: Emergency Situations
• VisitKorea: 1330 Travel Helpline

Hospital charges and insurance acceptance vary; contact your insurer before treatment when you can.