When life or safety is at risk
112 — when you are a victim of a crime, assault, theft, or threats (police)
119 — fires, medical emergencies, and when you need rescue (fire and ambulance)
1339 — suspected infectious disease and questions about illness (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)
1366 — emergency counselling for women, including domestic and sexual violence
Everyday help and interpretation
1345 — alien registration, visas, and general life questions, with interpretation (Immigration Contact Center)
1330 — tourist information, complaints while travelling, and interpretation (Korea Tourism Organization)
1350 — unpaid wages, working conditions, and other labour questions (Ministry of Employment and Labor)
120 — Seoul city services and everyday complaints (Dasan Call Center; the number differs by region)
What to say when you call
1. First say "English, please" or the language you want, and they will help connect an interpreter. 112 and 119 can add an interpreter to a three-way call.
2. Say where you are first. If you do not know the address, reading out nearby building names, signs, a subway exit number, or the ID number on a utility pole helps them find you.
3. Briefly say what happened and how many people are hurt.
Good things to do in advance
Also save your country’s embassy or consulate contacts on your phone. They can help if you lose your passport or are involved in an incident or accident.
Keep your home address written in Korean, so you can show the screen or read it out when words fail you.
Find out in advance where your usual clinic and the nearest emergency room are.
Numbers can change depending on the operating agency, so check important ones on the agency’s website from time to time.