Emergency Guide for Korea Travelers: Lost Passports, Pharmacies, and 1330 Hotline
Last verified: September 2026. Emergency contacts, service hours and nearby care availability can change; confirm current details with the official sources listed below.
Save 112 and 119 before you travel in Korea. Call 119 for a medical emergency or fire, and call 112 when you need the police. The 1330 Korea Travel Helpline can assist with travel information and interpretation, but it is not a substitute for emergency dispatch.
The sections below explain how to find an open pharmacy, what convenience stores can sell, how to report a lost passport, and which number to call in each situation.
Table of Contents
Emergency Numbers in Korea
| Service | Number | When to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Medical emergency and fire | 119 | Ambulance, serious injury or illness, fire, or rescue |
| Police | 112 | Crime, immediate danger, theft, or police assistance |
| Korea Travel Helpline | 1330 From overseas: +82-2-1330 |
Travel information, interpretation, and tourist complaints; not emergency dispatch |
| Immigration Contact Center | 1345 From overseas: +82-1345 |
Visa, entry, stay, and immigration questions |
The Immigration Contact Center operates on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., excluding public holidays. Twenty-language counseling is available during the day; after 6:00 p.m., service is limited to Korean, English, and Chinese.
1. Finding Medicine in Korea
For a serious or rapidly worsening condition, call 119 rather than trying to find medicine on your own. For minor symptoms, a pharmacy can help you choose an appropriate over-the-counter product or tell you when you need a clinic.
Pharmacies (약국, yakguk)
Look for a sign marked 약 or 약국. Pharmacy hours vary by neighborhood, and many close on Sundays or public holidays.
- Finding an open pharmacy: Use the E-GEN emergency medical portal, check a local public late-night pharmacy list, or call 1330 for help locating one.
- Language: Some pharmacies in major visitor areas have English-speaking staff, but this is not guaranteed. Show the name of the medicine you take, your allergies, and a translated description of your symptoms.
- Prescription medicine: Antibiotics and other prescription-only drugs require a prescription from a Korean clinic or hospital.
Ask the pharmacist to write down the dose and timing if the package instructions are only in Korean. Do not combine products until you have checked their active ingredients.
Medicines Sold at Convenience Stores
Designated convenience stores can sell a limited group of government-approved safe household medicines. The approved categories include fever and pain medicine, cold medicine, digestive medicine, and pain-relief patches. Selection varies, and not every branch carries every product.
Items such as adhesive bandages and basic first-aid supplies may also be sold, but they are not part of the same government-designated medicine category. For children, pregnancy, ongoing medical conditions, allergies, or uncertain dosing, ask a pharmacist or doctor rather than relying on a convenience-store product.
2. What to Do If You Lose Your Passport
Passport replacement procedures are set by your own government, so document requirements and processing times differ by nationality. Start these steps as soon as you notice the passport is missing.
Step 1: Check Where You Last Used It
Contact the hotel, restaurant, station office, taxi company, or other location where you last showed or carried the passport. If you used an app-booked taxi, check the ride history for the vehicle and trip details.
Step 2: Search Lost112
Search the Korean National Police Agency’s Lost112 English portal. You can search found-property records by date, location, and item type. Newly found items may not appear immediately.
Step 3: Contact the Police
If the passport was stolen, if you need documentation for your embassy or insurer, or if it does not appear in Lost112, contact the nearest police station or call 112. Ask what written report or receipt can be provided for your case.
Step 4: Contact Your Embassy or Consulate
Use your embassy or consulate’s official website or emergency contact number. Confirm whether an appointment is required and which documents, photos, proof of citizenship, police paperwork, and fees are needed. Do not assume that an emergency travel document can be issued within a fixed number of hours.
Contact your airline if the loss may affect your flight. If your Korean visa or immigration record is tied to the lost passport, call 1345 for current instructions after receiving the replacement document.
3. Using the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline
The Korea Tourism Organization operates 1330 for international visitors who need travel information, interpretation assistance, or help reporting a tourism-related problem.
- From a Korean phone: Dial 1330.
- From overseas or some roaming phones: Dial +82-2-1330.
- Online: The official 1330 page provides browser-based voice calling and chat, so a separate app download is not required.
- Use 112 or 119 first: If someone is in immediate danger or needs an ambulance, contact the emergency service directly. Use 1330 for non-life-threatening travel and language assistance.
Open the official 1330 call and chat page.
4. Hospitals and Medical Emergencies
- When calling 119: Give your location first, then describe what happened. Say “English” if you need language assistance. Interpretation availability can depend on the call and location.
- Non-emergency treatment: Major hospitals such as Severance Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and Asan Medical Center operate international patient services, but appointment procedures and availability vary.
- Travel insurance: Before leaving, request an itemized invoice, treatment record, prescription, and payment receipt. Ask your insurer which documents and translations it requires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy antibiotics over the counter in Korea?
No. Antibiotics require a prescription from a doctor. A pharmacist can advise whether your symptoms call for an over-the-counter product or a clinic visit.
What should I do if I leave a bag in a Seoul taxi?
Record the pickup and drop-off locations, approximate time, fare, and payment method. Check the trip history if you booked through Kakao T and keep any taxi receipt. Then contact the taxi company, call 1330 if you need interpretation, and search Lost112. See our Kakao T English Guide for trip-history and booking details.
How can I find a pharmacy or hospital on a Korean map?
Search for 약국 for a pharmacy or 응급실 for an emergency room. Our Naver Map English Guide explains how to search Korean place names and check business information.
Official reference sources:
