For a medical emergency in Korea, call 119 and tell the operator where the patient is and what has happened. If you need language assistance, ask for it when the call connects. Answer the operator’s questions and follow their instructions. Do not delay an emergency call to complete a form, find insurance papers, or finish reading this guide.
Say what help you need and ask for language assistance
The Korea Tourism Organization’s disaster-safety guidance identifies 119 for fire and ambulance services. It advises callers who do not speak Korean to say “English please” or “Interpreter please.” Ask for the language help you need and continue with the operator’s questions.
You can begin simply: “Medical emergency. I need an ambulance. English, please.” These are suggested words to help start the conversation, not a required script. Give the information the operator asks for next.
Give a location someone can find
State the patient’s current location, including the street address if known. Add the building name, floor, room, or entrance when relevant. Use the location where help is needed, even if it differs from your accommodation’s address.
KTO advises using nearby buildings or your phone’s GPS to find your position. Have any location details you can identify ready for the operator’s questions.
Read out the location information you have to the operator. Tell the operator if the address or entrance is uncertain and continue answering the location questions. Do not assume a saved map pin alone has communicated the correct floor or access point.
Describe the situation and give your name and contact number
Explain what happened and the patient’s current condition as clearly as you can. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s reporting guide, credited to the National Fire Agency, asks about the patient’s age, known medical conditions and medicines, and the caller’s name and another reachable contact. Answer questions about consciousness or breathing from what you know, and say when a detail is unknown.
This short English card is a preparation aid for your own use:
Help needed: Medical emergency / ambulance.
Patient location: [address, building, floor, room or entrance].
What happened: [brief description and known current condition].
Patient information: [age if known; relevant known conditions or medicines].
Caller and contact number: [your name and a reachable number; another contact number if available].
Answer the operator’s questions even if they differ from this list. The card helps you communicate the facts; it cannot diagnose the problem or determine its urgency.
Stay on the call and report any changes
Follow the dispatcher’s instructions while help is being arranged. The ministry’s guidance says to remain on the call for medical direction. Tell the operator if anything changes.
The ministry’s separate ambulance-arrival preparation page explains the handover to responders: describe what happened, changes in the patient’s condition, any first aid already provided, and known medical history or medicines. Give the information you have to the responding team.
As part of your travel preparation, save your accommodation’s address, including its Korean spelling if available. For a routine appointment or holiday opening-hours question, use the hospital service checking guide.