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SAFETY · GUIDE
Call 112 for police response to crime or danger, 119 for fire, rescue or emergency medical dispatch, and use 1330 only for non-emergency travel information and interpretation.
USE IT ON THE TRIP
QUICK ANSWER
WHAT TO DO
Use 112 for an active crime, violence, threat or police danger. Use 119 for fire, rescue or a medical emergency. Use 1330 for non-emergency tourism information and interpretation, and follow your own embassy or consulate for passport replacement.
Watch out Do not wait for 1330, a community reply, an insurer or an English-speaking facility when somebody is in immediate danger. Call 112 or 119 first.
Lead with the Korean road address, station and exit, building name, floor or a visible landmark. Read the map pin aloud or ask a nearby staff member to help identify the location while you stay on the line.
Look for 도로명주소 · 역 이름 · 출구 번호 · 건물명 · 층
Watch out An English business name may not be recognisable. Prefer the station, the address, or a landmark.
Say your language after the location and emergency type and follow the dispatcher's instructions. For a non-emergency travel conversation, the 1330 hotline and its current online channels can provide tourism information and interpretation.
Watch out Interpretation availability and language support can vary by channel and time. It must not delay an emergency call or urgent treatment.
Keep the accommodation name, Korean road address and phone number offline for a safe return after the incident. Also make sure your phone can show your live location independently; the hotel address is not your emergency location when you are elsewhere.
Watch out Looking this up under stress, possibly without data, is the situation to avoid.
For a lost passport, detention or consular problem, use your own government's official embassy or consulate contact and follow its country-specific document instructions. Save the normal and emergency channels before travel.
Watch out A police loss report is not a replacement passport, and an embassy cannot override Korean law, guarantee release, pay treatment costs or restore onward-entry permission.
Preserve the receipt, listing, messages and payment record. Use 112 for an active crime or immediate threat; otherwise use the relevant operator, card issuer, consumer or police reporting route. 1330 can provide tourism information, interpretation and complaint guidance, but it does not decide a refund or criminal case.
COMPARE OPTIONS
| Option | Best for | Cost | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 112 — Police | An active crime, violence, threat or immediate police danger. | Emergency line · Dispatch depends on the incident and location | An emergency line. Not for information requests. |
| 119 — Fire and ambulance | Medical emergencies, fire, rescue. | Emergency line; treatment costs are separate · Dispatch depends on the incident and location | Treatment costs are separate from the call. Travel insurance matters here. |
| 1330 — Travel helpline | Non-emergency tourism information, interpretation and tourist complaint guidance. | Official service; phone or data charges can depend on the channel · Current channel and language availability | Not an emergency service. Do not use it in place of 112 or 119. |
| Your embassy or consulate | Lost or stolen passports, detention, serious legal problems. | Varies · Office hours, with emergency contacts | An embassy cannot override Korean law or pay your medical bills. |
ILLUSTRATED GUIDES
AVOID THESE MISTAKES
Do this instead Call 112 or 119 first. 1330 is a helpline, not an emergency dispatcher.
Do this instead Give the subway station and exit number, or the road address. Those are recognisable.
Do this instead Save it on arrival day. You need it for taxis regardless, and in an emergency it removes a delay.
Do this instead Check what your policy actually covers before you travel. The ambulance call and the treatment are separate matters.
TRAVELER FAQ
Official guidance describes interpretation support, but do not assume the first person who answers shares your language. Lead with the location and emergency type, then state your language and follow instructions.
It is Korea's official tourism helpline. The service offers non-emergency information and interpretation, while normal carrier or data charges can depend on how you connect. It is not emergency dispatch.
Contact your own embassy or consulate immediately and follow its instructions about police documentation, identity photos, forms and replacement travel documents. A police receipt alone is not a passport.
Move to a lit staffed place, identify your location and rebuild the route in a Korean map. Use 1330 for non-emergency travel information or interpretation; call 112 if there is a threat, stalking, crime or immediate danger.
You cannot count on a particular language or hospital. Do not delay 119 to search for an English-speaking facility; give the location and emergency first, request language help and let responders choose care for the situation.
Every changing rule stays attached to the organization responsible for it.
Last checked August 24, 2026. Korea Era edits these guides from official sources and does not decide eligibility, fares or schedules on your behalf.