Emergency Rooms in Korea: What to Do in a Medical Emergency

Korean emergency care is among the fastest and most capable in the world, but navigating it as a foreign resident can be disorienting: the wrong number, the wrong level of hospital, or the wrong expectation about upfront costs can cost you hours or millions of won. This guide walks through what to do in the moment and what to prepare for before anything happens.

---

The key phone numbers

119, ambulance and fire

Dial 119 from any phone (landline, mobile, public phone) for any medical, fire, or serious accident emergency. The ambulance is free, dispatched by Korea's national fire service, and takes you to the nearest appropriate hospital based on your condition.

119 operators speak Korean as default. Say "English please" and they can bring in a BBB Korea interpreter in 22 languages. Vietnamese, Mandarin, Russian, Filipino/Tagalog, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese, Arabic, and more are all supported.

When you call, be ready to say:

• Your location (address, building name, apartment number, or a nearby landmark)
• What happened (injury, symptom, suspected condition)
• Who is affected (age, conscious/unconscious, breathing/not breathing)
• Your name and phone number

If you are not sure of your address, tell them a landmark or the nearest subway station exit number. Ambulances arrive in 5-15 minutes in urban areas.

1339, health information and triage

Dial 1339 (Ministry of Health & Welfare health information line) for free medical triage advice. If you are not sure whether your situation needs an ER, 1339 will assess and direct you. They can also locate the nearest open ER, pharmacy, or on-duty clinic. 24/7, multilingual support via BBB Korea.

Use 1339 for:

• "Is this an emergency?"
• "Which hospital should I go to?"
• "Which pharmacy is open at 2 AM?"
• "What's the nearest ER that takes kids?"

112, police

If the emergency involves violence, a crime, a missing person, or a person in immediate danger to self or others, call 112. Police can coordinate with 119 for medical dispatch.

BBB Korea 1588-5644, 22-language phone interpreter

Any time you need translation for a medical call, BBB Korea connects you to a volunteer interpreter. Free, 24/7. They can join a three-way call with 119, 1339, hospital reception, or a pharmacist.

---

What "emergency room" means in Korea

Korean emergency care is tiered. Know the difference:

Regional Emergency Medical Centre (권역응급의료센터), Level 1

The highest tier, with dedicated trauma, stroke, cardiac, and burn teams staffed 24/7. Examples in Seoul:

• Seoul National University Hospital (Yeongeon)
• Severance Hospital (Sinchon)
• Samsung Medical Centre (Irwon)
• Asan Medical Centre (Songpa)
• Seoul Asan Medical Centre / Ewha Womans University Mokdong

Each Korean region has at least one. Best choice for major trauma, suspected stroke, suspected heart attack, and any time life is threatened.

Local Emergency Medical Centre (지역응급의료센터), Level 2

Still 24/7 full ER but with fewer subspecialty teams. Most secondary hospitals in Seoul and all metropolitan cities fit this tier.

Local Emergency Medical Institution (지역응급의료기관), Level 3

Smaller hospital ERs, 24/7 but limited equipment (may lack CT, may not have subspecialists on call).

야간 / 공휴일 진료 (night / holiday clinics)

Not a full ER. These are primary-care clinics with extended-hour shifts for minor urgent issues (fever, mild injury, earaches, simple cuts). Suitable for a child with a fever at 11 PM but not for anything potentially serious.

의원 (neighborhood clinic)

Not an emergency facility. Daytime hours only, no IV, no imaging, no overnight. Do not go to your local 의원 in an emergency.

---

When to go to an ER versus not

Go to an ER immediately

• Loss of consciousness or altered mental state
• Suspected stroke (sudden weakness, facial droop, slurred speech, severe sudden headache)
• Chest pain, especially with shortness of breath or radiating pain
• Suspected heart attack
• Severe difficulty breathing
• Severe bleeding, uncontrolled after 10 minutes of pressure
• Major trauma (car accident, fall from height, head injury with symptoms)
• Seizure, especially first-time or lasting >5 minutes
• Suspected overdose or poisoning
• Severe allergic reaction (swelling of face/throat, trouble breathing)
• High fever with confusion, severe headache, or stiff neck
• Severe abdominal pain with vomiting and fever
• Signs of pregnancy complication (heavy bleeding, severe pain)

Consider urgent care (야간진료) instead

• Mild fever, cold/flu symptoms
• Minor cuts needing stitches
• Ear pain, sore throat
• Mild sprains, strains
• Non-urgent prescription refills
• Minor allergic reactions with no breathing trouble

Wait until the morning if

• Minor aches and pains
• Dental issues (dental clinics open at 9 AM)
• Rashes without fever or breathing trouble
• Routine follow-up

If in doubt, call 1339.

---

What it will actually cost

This is the part most foreign residents miss. Korean ERs are excellent but they require upfront payment.

With NHIS (registered foreign resident or dependent)

• Minor visit (blood work, X-ray, simple treatment, discharge): ₩100,000-₩300,000 at the ER. NHIS reimburses 60-80% after the visit.
• Moderate visit (CT scan, IV medications, observation): ₩300,000-₩800,000 upfront
• Serious visit (trauma, surgery, ICU admission): ₩1,000,000-₩5,000,000+ upfront, with NHIS capping your total annual out-of-pocket for catastrophic illness

You pay the full bill by credit card or cash on discharge. NHIS reimbursement is automatic for most claims, you do not need to file anything. The portion you paid that was covered by NHIS will be refunded to your designated bank account within days.

Without NHIS

Expect 3-5× the bill above. A minor foreign-visitor ER visit runs ₩500,000-₩1,500,000. Serious cases can run ₩10M+. Travel insurance or international health insurance typically reimburses these, but you pay first.

If you cannot pay immediately, hospitals rarely refuse emergency treatment but will work with you on deferred billing. Social workers at major hospitals can arrange payment plans.

Bring a credit card with room on it. This is the single most practical piece of ER preparation for foreign residents.

---

What to bring to the ER

If you have time to grab things:

• Passport + ARC (for insurance and identification)
• Korean health insurance card (if issued; NHIS records also work)
• Credit card with sufficient limit (₩500,000-₩2,000,000 is reasonable planning)
• Phone + charger (wait times can be long; you may need to contact family or translate)
• List of current medications (names in English AND the original language; Korean doctors can usually identify most Western medications, but bring the packaging if possible)
• Known allergies written down
• Emergency contact name and phone number

If you are going alone and do not speak Korean, ask a friend to come, or have the BBB Korea line ready.

---

English-capable ERs

These hospitals have established foreign-patient services and English-speaking capability in their ERs:

Seoul

• Severance Hospital (Yonsei), Sinchon, 02-2228-5810
• Samsung Medical Centre, Irwon-dong, 02-3410-0200
• Asan Medical Centre, Songpa, 02-3010-5001
• Seoul National University Hospital, Yeongeon, 02-2072-0505
• Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Banpo, 02-2258-5745
• Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Jongno, 02-2001-1301
• Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Magok, 02-6986-1000

Outside Seoul

• Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, 051-240-7000
• Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, 051-240-5110
• Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, 053-200-5500
• Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, 031-219-4000
• Gachon University Gil Medical Centre, Incheon, 032-460-3000
• Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, 042-280-7114
• Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, 062-220-5114

All maintain international patient services with English-speaking coordinators. Many also have Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Arabic support through their international desks.

---

The 119 call: worked example

You wake up at 2 AM, your roommate is having chest pain and difficulty breathing.

1. Call 119 from your phone. "Ambulance please."
2. If English-only: say "English please" and wait for the interpreter. You can also dial BBB Korea 1588-5644 in a second call for faster interpretation.
3. Give your address: "I am at [building name], [apartment number], in [district]." Include the nearest subway station if you know it.
4. Describe: "My roommate is having chest pain and cannot breathe well. He is [age] and [male/female]."
5. They will ask: "Is he conscious? Is he breathing?" Answer plainly.
6. Stay on the line. They will keep you talking until the ambulance arrives. If your roommate loses consciousness or stops breathing, the operator will walk you through CPR.
7. Unlock the building door before the ambulance arrives. Many minutes are lost at entrances.
8. Grab his phone, wallet, and ID if you can.
9. The ambulance takes you to the nearest Level 1 or Level 2 ER. You can ride with him.

---

What to do after an ER visit

1. Save all paperwork. The discharge summary, receipts, diagnostic reports. You need them for NHIS reimbursement (usually automatic) and any private insurance claim.
2. Follow up with a regular doctor. ERs stabilise and send you home. Anything that happened in the ER should be followed up with a primary care doctor, specialist, or the same hospital's outpatient department within 1-2 weeks.
3. File private insurance claims. If you have 실비보험 or international insurance, submit the discharge summary + receipts. Deadline is usually 3 years but file sooner to avoid paperwork loss.
4. Review the bill. Occasional errors happen. If something looks wrong, contact the hospital billing office (영문 있음) within 30 days.

---

Tips specific to foreign residents

• Save 119, 1339, BBB Korea 1588-5644 in your phone now. Speed-dial if possible.
• Know your address in Korean. Practice saying your building name, apartment number, and nearest major landmark. This is the single biggest friction in an emergency call.
• Keep your NHIS / passport / ARC accessible. Everyone in the household should know where emergency documents are.
• Register an ICE contact on your phone lockscreen (In Case of Emergency, with relationship and phone number). Korean first responders check this.
• If you travel with prescription medications, always keep them in original packaging with a doctor's note.
• Learn basic medical Korean phrases. Just knowing the word for your chronic condition can shave minutes off triage.

---

What to do next

1. Right now: save 119, 1339, BBB Korea 1588-5644, and the main number of your nearest major hospital to your phone.
2. This week: add your address in Korean as a phone note. Practice saying it out loud. Register your ICE contact on the lockscreen.
3. This month: ensure everyone in your household knows where your ARC, passport, and NHIS card are kept, and has a basic idea of which hospital to go to.
4. If you have a chronic condition: carry a short Korean-language summary card (symptom, allergies, medications) in your wallet.
5. Before travel inside Korea: check the nearest Level 1 or Level 2 ER at your destination via e-gen.or.kr.

For general medical navigation, see our finding English-speaking doctors guide. For insurance basics, our NHIS enrollment guide covers the card and coverage. Mental health crises are covered in our mental health care guide.

What's changed

• 2026-04-21: Guide first published covering 119/1339/112, Korean ER tier system, NHIS vs non-NHIS cost reality, English-capable hospitals in Seoul and beyond, and what to bring when every minute counts.