๐จ Emergency
Who to call, what to say, and what to do next.
If you are in immediate danger, do not wait. Call now.
You do not need an area code. Call from any mobile phone. Say โEnglish, pleaseโ if you need an interpreter.
Which number should I call?
Choose what happened.
What to say when they answer
- โข You are being attacked or threatened
- โข Someone is following or stalking you
- โข You have been sexually assaulted
- โข A theft or robbery is happening now
- โข Someone is trying to enter your hotel room or accommodation
- โข You are witnessing violence
- โข You feel unsafe because of another person
- โข You need police immediately
- WHERE โ Where are you?
- WHAT โ What happened?
- WHO โ Who is involved?
- DANGER โ Is anyone injured or still in danger?
Police support reporting by text message (and a 112 app) when a call is hard. Keep it short: place, what is happening, and what the person looks like. A message that is not in Korean may take longer to read, so call whenever it is safe to do so.
- 1Call 112 and keep the call connected.
- 2Press number buttons on your phone so the police know you cannot speak.
- 3Follow any instructions or text messages the police send you.
Do not confront the person if doing so may put you in more danger.
๐ Tell them where you are
Your location is one of the most important things to say. From best to simplest:
Open Naver Map, KakaoMap or Google Maps and read out, or show, your current location, a nearby building or the street address. You can also ask someone nearby:
Emergency phrase cards
Show a phrase in large Korean to someone nearby, or copy it.
Situation guides
Happening now: 112. Already over and you are safe: Lost & Found.
Danger in a hotel or accommodation
- 1Lock the door if possible.
- 2Move away from the person causing the danger.
- 3Call 112.
- 4Tell the police your hotel name and room number.
- 5Contact hotel reception or security if it is safe.
Feeling unsafe on the street
- 1Move into a convenience store or a hotel lobby, or go to a subway station.
- 2Stay near other people.
- 3Call 112.
- 4Do not confront the person if that could put you in more danger.
Emergency on a subway train
- 1Move away from the danger if you can.
- 2Use the train emergency intercom.
- 3Tell staff the line, station and car number if you can see them.
- 4Crime or threat: call 112. Medical emergency: call 119.
Traffic accident
- 1If anyone is injured, call 119 first.
- 2If you also need the police, call 112.
- 3Stay in a safe place and stay on the line.
No phone, or no Korean
- 1Ask at a police station, convenience store, hotel reception, subway staff, a tourist information center or a nearby business.
- 2Show the Korean phrase card on this page.
Safe, but need help? (not emergency numbers)
Use 1330 when you are safe but need travel or language assistance. It offers travel information, interpretation help and tourist complaints, by phone and online chat. It does not send police or an ambulance. Check the official page for current languages and hours.
For visa, stay and immigration questions only. It is not for police or ambulance emergencies. It offers multilingual counseling; hours have been listed as weekdays 09:00โ22:00, with Korean, English and Chinese after 18:00. Check the official site for current details.
Before you travel
Tick each item when it is done. Your ticks stay on this device.
Related Help
Official Sources
- OFFICIALKorean National Police Agency112 police and how to report
- OFFICIALNational Fire Agency: 119 Safety Report Center119 emergency and online reporting
- OFFICIALKorea Tourism Organization: 1330 Travel HelplineTravel information, interpretation and tourist complaints
- OFFICIALHiKorea / Immigration Contact Center (1345)Immigration and living-information counseling
Services, languages and procedures can change, so check the official source. This page does not promise response times or interpretation in every language.
Information last verified: 2026-10-07 ยท Updated: 2026-10-07