Call 119 for an ambulance or a medical emergency. The Seoul Global Center says the ambulance is free and interpreters are available. For other problems, large hospitals have English international centers, and Korean health insurance does not cover tourists. This page lists official numbers and pages as we found them on 12 October 2026. It is not medical advice, and we are not doctors.
Who to call
| Number | What it is for | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| 119 | Fire and medical emergencies. The ambulance is free, with interpreters | VisitKorea, 11 Sep 2026; Seoul Global Center page |
| 112 | Police | VisitKorea, 11 Sep 2026 |
| 1339 | Infectious disease information and reporting, 24/7/365. Toll free only inside Korea | KDCA English page, read 12 Oct 2026 |
| 1345 | The Immigration Contact Center for foreigners, 09:00 to 22:00, English 09:00 to 18:00 | KDCA English page, read 12 Oct 2026 |
| +82-2-1330 | Korea Travel Helpline, for travel help. For a medical emergency the listed number is 119 | VisitKorea, 11 Sep 2026 |
| 1588-5644 | Interpretation by volunteers in 17 languages | Seoul Global Center page |
| 02-120 | Seoul's 120 Dasan call center, with English among five languages | Seoul city release, 11 Jul 2023 |
Note: The Seoul Global Center page says it runs a 24-hour Medical Referral Service for foreign nationals, with English-speaking staff who give information and recommend facilities. The same page lists 82-2-731-6800 as the Seoul Call Center (Seoul Global Center page, read 12 Oct 2026, undated)
Hospitals with English service
Address: VisitKorea lists 14 hospitals with an International Health Care Center, each with an English phone number: Seoul Asan Medical Center, Severance Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Korea University Anam, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Inha University Hospital, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Inje University Paik Hospital (Haeundae, Busan), Wonkwang University Hospital and St. Vincent's Hospital in Suwon (VisitKorea, updated 11 Sep 2026)
Note: Example: Asan Medical Center lists +82-2-3010-5001 for English (same page). The page has no step-by-step guide. It links a PDF titled "Dealing With an Emergency While Traveling in Korea," which we did not open
We do not give clinic hours. The only hours we found were on a Visit Seoul page from August 2018, which is too old.
Pharmacies
Note: VisitKorea's pharmacy guide (published in 2024, last updated September 2024) points to two Korean Pharmaceutical Association sites for holiday and late-night pharmacies. It says exits 8 and 9 at Hongik University Station lead to many 24-hour pharmacies, and that you should look for a "Language assistance available" sign
Note: For a medicine that needs a prescription, the guide says to get a medical record and an English prescription before your trip, and to bring copies or photos
Our medication guide explains which medicines need a permit to bring in.
| Detail | One source says | Another says | What we use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacies on Sunday | Visit Seoul, August 2018: usually closed on Sundays | VisitKorea, September 2024: many 24-hour pharmacies near Hongik University Station | Both. Ask a pharmacy or use the finder |
| How many languages 119 offers | Seoul Global Center: English, Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian and Vietnamese | Visit Seoul, August 2018: 16 languages | Say "English" and expect interpretation |
| When 120 answers in English | Seoul Global Center page: 24/7 | Seoul city release of 11 Jul 2023: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00, and the 24/7 line is the separate Danuri center | The 2023 release. Use 119 or 1330 at night |
| What 1339 is | VisitKorea: infectious disease emergencies | KDCA: infectious disease information, vaccine information, and reporting | Both agree. It is not a general doctor line |
Cost and insurance
Price: Tourists and short-term visitors are exempt from National Health Insurance enrollment, and people who have lived in Korea for six months or more are enrolled (Seoul Metropolitan Government foreigner page, read 12 Oct 2026)
Note: "Foreign patients who are not residents of Korea are not eligible for insurance coverage." Contact your medical provider or insurance company (VisitKorea, 14 Nov 2024)
Price: The ambulance service is free (Seoul Global Center page). We found no official price for a clinic, an ER visit or a night visit
Check your own policy for coverage in Korea and for how it pays. That is general advice, not a rule.
What is checked here and what is not
Checked on 12 October 2026: VisitKorea's emergency page (updated 11 September 2026), its pharmacy guide and its page on insurance for international patients, the Seoul Global Center's medical page and its insurance page, Visit Seoul's medical emergencies page (August 2018), the Seoul city release on the 120 line (11 July 2023), and the KDCA English call center page.
Not checked: 1330 hours, the National Emergency Medical Center's pharmacy and emergency room finder (we could not open it), any hospital's current hours or English service, the PDF on emergencies, the price of any treatment, whether a hospital will treat without payment first, and what a given travel policy covers. We did not call any number or visit any clinic. This is not medical advice.
