Tourists pay for medical care themselves in Korea. Here is what to check in a policy and what local programs exist.
Travel insurance is generally not a requirement for tourists entering Korea, but it can protect you from unexpected medical bills and travel costs. Check the entry rules for your visa type.
Koreaโs National Health Insurance and travel insurance are separate systems. The National Health Insurance mainly covers people who live in Korea, with foreigners generally joining after staying over six months, so short-term visitors should not expect it to cover them. VisitKorea says foreign patients who are not residents of Korea are not eligible for insurance coverage.
Do not stop at โMedical coverage includedโ. Look at the limit, the maximum the insurer will pay.
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Medical expenses | The maximum amount covered |
| Hospitalization | The limit for hospital stays |
| Emergency treatment | Whether emergency room treatment is included |
| Medical evacuation | The limit for emergency evacuation costs |
| Repatriation | The limit for returning you home |
| Baggage | Limit for loss or damage, and any limit per item |
| Trip cancellation | Limit for cancellation costs |
| Trip interruption | Limit if your trip is cut short |
| Personal liability | Cover for damage you cause to other people |
Look hardest at three limits: medical expenses, emergency evacuation and repatriation. These are the bills that can become very large.
Depending on the policy, these situations may not be paid, or may be limited. Always read your own terms.
If you have a medical condition before traveling to Korea, check whether your travel insurance covers it. Many policies exclude or limit cover for pre-existing conditions, and not declaring a condition can invalidate your insurance.
Before buying, ask yourself:
Make sure the insurance period covers your whole trip, including the journey home. For example:
If your flight home is delayed or changed, check whether the policy can be extended, or extends automatically.
Some credit cards or card products offer travel insurance, but do not assume it is enough. Check the real terms:
It depends on the insurer and the policy. Some travel insurance must be bought before your trip begins. The safest advice: buy and confirm your travel insurance before you leave your home country.
Call 119 first. Contact your insurer after the situation is safe.
| Number | Use it for |
|---|---|
| 119 | Ambulance and fire: serious illness, injury, accident |
| 112 | Police: crime, theft, danger |
| 1330 | Korea Travel Helpline: travel information and help in several languages, 24 hours |
You may see 1339 mentioned online. It is the infectious disease call line of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, not the number for a general emergency. For any life-threatening emergency, call 119.
Keep a copy offline on your phone, or on paper, in case you have no signal or the battery dies.
Often yes. Insurance does not always mean free care. How it works depends on the policy.
You pay the hospital, keep every document, and claim the money back from your insurer later.
For some cases, the insurer or its assistance company contacts the hospital and pays it directly. This often needs approval first, so contact them before treatment if you can.
Do not throw away your receipts.
If your plans include any of these, check your policy first.
| If you plan toโฆ | Check this in your policy |
|---|---|
| Hike in the mountains | Whether hiking or trekking is covered, and any altitude or route limits |
| Ski or snowboard | Whether winter sports are an extra you must add |
| Scuba dive | Depth limits and whether a certification is required |
| Ride a scooter or motorbike | Whether it is covered, and whether you need a valid licence |
| Rent a car | Driving cover, and that your licence is valid in Korea |
| Do water activities | Whether water sports are covered, and any supervision rules |
| Need medical treatment | Pay-first or direct billing, and the documents you must keep |
| Your bag is lost | The report you need from the airline or police, and per-item limits |
| Your flight is cancelled | Which causes count, and what proof the insurer needs |
| You are seriously injured | Evacuation cover and the 24-hour assistance number |
| You must go home early | Trip interruption cover and what reasons are accepted |
Some Korean local governments have launched small safety-net programs for foreign visitors. These are not a replacement for your own travel insurance.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government started a medical-expense support program for foreign tourists in 2025. Eligibility and amounts are set by the city. Information line: +82-2-1833-9608.
Gyeonggi-do offers its own support for foreign visitors who are injured, with up to โฉ1,000,000 toward injury treatment. Information line: +82-2-2078-4540.
Programs, amounts and eligibility can change every year. Confirm the current terms on the official city or province website before you rely on them.
For most tourists it is not an entry requirement, but it is strongly recommended. Check the rules for your visa type.
Short-term visitors should generally not expect it. It is a separate system from travel insurance.
Only if the policy says so. Look for โmedical evacuationโ and its limit.
Often not, or only with a declaration and extra premium. Read your terms and declare your history.
It depends on the insurer. Buying before you leave home is the safest.
Often yes, then you claim it back. Some insurers can pay the hospital directly.
Receipts, medical certificate, prescriptions, and any police or airline reports.
Call 119 first, then your insurerโs emergency number.
Only if its limits and conditions are enough for you. Check the real terms.
Often they are limited or need an add-on. Check the activities list in your policy.
Many policies exclude them. Check the exclusions.
Check whether the policy extends automatically or can be extended.
No. They are small support programs, and their terms can change.
Yes. Keep a PDF or email copy, plus the emergency phone numbers, available offline.
Tourists are not covered by Koreaโs national health insurance. What that means, what a policy should cover, and the Seoul and Gyeonggi-do programs for foreign visitors.
Read the guideEmergency numbers in Korea (112, 119, 1330, 1345), how to see a doctor or pharmacist as a visitor, and travel insurance and safety tips.
Read the guideHow to bring prescription and over-the-counter medicine and supplements into Korea, which medicines need approval, and how to buy medicine once you are there.
Read the guide