Medical Care Guide for Foreigners
This page collects the phone numbers and hospitals for foreign patients that you may need if you are sick or injured in Korea.
Phone
Emergency, ambulance, fire
Tourist interpretation and information (24 hours, multiple languages)
Medical Korea Support Center (guidance for foreign patients)
When calling from outside Korea, add +82 and drop the leading 0. Call 119 and 1330 from within Korea.
Hospitals for Foreign Patients
818 hospitals that are registered as institutions that attract foreign patients or that appear in the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) list of “hospitals frequently visited by foreigners.”
Being on the list does not mean a hospital provides care in every language. Check with the hospital whether interpretation is available.
Source: KHIDI «Hospitals frequently visited by foreigners» (Reference date 2025-09-24, 이용허락범위 제한 없음)
Good to Know
- Without National Health Insurance, you pay the full cost of care. You can request a medical certificate and receipts for a travel insurance claim.
- Registered foreigners who stay in Korea for 6 months or more are often enrolled in National Health Insurance by law (this varies by residence status).
- Over-the-counter medicines can be bought at pharmacies without a prescription, and some basic medicines are also sold at convenience stores.
- To receive care at a tertiary general hospital under health insurance, you usually need a referral letter, so it is common to visit a clinic first.
- To enter Korea for medical treatment, check the official immigration guidance, such as the medical tourism visa (C-3-3).
Source: National Health Insurance Act Article 109 (Special provisions for foreigners, etc.) · Medical Korea (KHIDI)