Who to contact when something goes wrong in Korea

01

Use the correct contact

Call 112 for police emergencies and 119 for fire or medical emergencies in Korea. The Korea Tourism Organization's 1330 helpline handles travel information, interpretation and tourist complaints; it is not a substitute for emergency dispatch.

For a misplaced item, contact the transport operator, venue or accommodation first when you know where it was lost. The police Lost112 site provides a separate lost-and-found search.

02

Make a short record while details are fresh

1. Write the last place and approximate Korean local time you had the item.
2. Keep a taxi plate or app trip ID, train or bus route, receipt and a description of the item.
3. If you lost a passport, contact your embassy or consulate for replacement steps as well as the local authority.
4. Keep case numbers and the name of the office handling the item.

03

Share the location clearly

Give the Korean street address, nearby building name, floor or station exit, and your callback number if available. If a moving vehicle is involved, provide its route direction and plate or trip number.

Translation and chat channels on 1330 may help with a non-emergency language barrier. Check the current service page for the available channel and language at the time you need it.

04

Protect your information

Use official operator, tourism or police sites. Keep proof of a report, but do not post passport images, card numbers or room access codes in public comments.

For card loss, contact the card issuer promptly. For a taxi item, your stored trip record helps the operator identify the correct driver; a map pin alone is not enough.