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About 960,000 foreign workers entered South Korea last year, and the number is expected to exceed 1 million this year. This will be the largest number of foreign workers working in Korea since the employment permit system was introduced in 2004.
With this increase in foreign workers, information on what foreigners living in South Korea should do in an emergency is becoming increasingly important.
While Korea has a wide range of services, including transportation, healthcare, and living accommodations, foreign workers may not be able to respond appropriately in an emergency due to language and cultural differences.
In this article, we will introduce the following emergency procedures that foreign workers should know and the organizations that support them.
1. Emergency contact numbers and procedures
For crimes and traffic accidents, dial 112
If you witness a crime or traffic accident in Korea, you should call 112. This number connects you to the police and ensures a quick response.
Foreign workers who are not familiar with the Korean language can also make a report via text or video call, so it’s helpful to know that you don’t need to know basic Korean phrases to make a report.
Dial 119 for fires, disasters, and medical emergencies
In the event of a fire, natural disaster, or medical emergency, you should call 119. This number is connected to the fire department and provides emergency rescue and first aid.
Foreigners who are not fluent in Korean can also report to 119 via text message or video call, which is especially helpful for foreign workers who need medical care, as it allows for quick response in emergency situations.
‘Emergency Report Baro (긴급신고바로)’ app, a reporting application that supports multiple languages
To make it easier for foreigners who are not familiar with Korean to make emergency reports, a mobile application is available.
The application supports multiple languages, including Vietnamese, English, Chinese, and Filipino, and allows users to view and select pictures to report, making it a simple and intuitive way to respond to emergencies.
With one-click connections to authorities such as the police, fire department, coast guard, and others, downloading this application in advance will help you respond quickly in case of an emergency.
2. Foreign Worker Consultation Service (E-9, H-2 visas)
Foreign Worker Consultation Center: 1577-0071 (외국인 인력 상담센터)
One of the biggest problems that foreign workers face in Korea is cultural differences and language barriers. To solve this problem, the Korean government provides a comprehensive counseling service for foreign workers.
By calling 1577-0071, you can receive counseling in 18 languages, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, English, and Thai. The service is open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., making it easy to reach out whenever you need help.
Korea Support Center For Foreign Workers (한국 외국인 노동자 지원센터)
Foreign Worker Support Centers are located throughout the country to help foreign workers adjust to life in Korea. These centers offer Korean language training, legal information, cultural events, and more to help foreign workers with their daily needs, especially job-related information.
There are nine centers nationwide (Seoul, Incheon, Uijeongbu, Cheonan, Daegu, Changwon, Yangsan, Gimhae, and Gwangju), so if you’re a foreign worker living in Korea for the first time, it’s a good idea to find a center near you and get the help you need.
3. 24-hour convenience in Korea
Convenient 24-hour living
One of the biggest surprises for foreigners living in Korea is the variety of services that are available 24 hours a day. Convenience stores, PC centers, and emergency rooms are especially convenient.
Convenience stores offer not only simple groceries, but also a wide range of items such as safety medicines and transportation cards, and PC shops offer internet access and printing. This is a prime example of the 24-hour convenience that Korea offers to foreign workers.
Find a pharmacy that’s open on holidays
If you need medication urgently during holidays, weekends, or in the early hours of the morning when regular pharmacies are closed, you can use the ‘holiday pharmacy’ service. Just search for “holiday pharmacy” online, enter your location, date, and time, and you can easily find a pharmacy that is open near you.
As you can see, Korea is well-equipped with various systems to prepare for emergencies around the clock, so with a little familiarization, foreign workers can live without any inconvenience.
4. Other useful information for foreign workers to know
Emergency medical services
In case of emergency, you can get basic medical treatment through the emergency room of a hospital. Hospital emergency rooms in Korea are open 24 hours a day, so you can go whenever you need to.
Foreign workers are eligible to use public healthcare in South Korea, so it’s a good idea to check your health insurance in advance.
What else do you need to know?
A variety of legal and labor-related information is available through the Foreign Worker Support Center. These centers also often host cultural events for foreign workers, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of these opportunities to get acclimated to life in Korea.
