Staying Safe
Overview
Emergency Hotline: 119
In the event of a medical or other kind of emergency, you should call 119. When you call, your location is automatically identified. If needed, a rescue team will offer medical assistance including sending an ambulance to take you to the nearest hospital. The 119 ambulance is free of charge. When a non-Korean speaker calls 119, the staff connects the call to a translator at the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO). Through a three-way call with the translator and staff member, the foreign caller can communicate their needs.
Safety Tips
Korea is a relatively safe country with very low rates of violent crime. However, there are some things you should consider when it comes to safety. We urge our international students to follow the guidelines/tips below.
To prevent petty crimes like pickpocketing or theft, avoid carrying or flashing large amounts of money, especially in busy districts such as Itaewon, Sinchon, Myeongdong, Gangnam, and Hongdae.
Stay in groups when out late at night, especially at bars and nightclubs. Incidents of assault have occurred in areas like Hongdae and Itaewon.
When traveling in Korea, get the business card from your motel, hostel, or guesthouse to show to taxi drivers, many of whom do not speak English.
Be careful when crossing the street, as the traffic in Seoul is heavy and drivers often take the right-of-way over pedestrians.
It is not normal in Korea to be contacted by strangers on social media, but it does sometimes happen. If you experience unwanted contact or harassment from a stranger, directly instruct the person to stop contacting you. If it continues, report the incident to our office staff.