Beginner · Korean Travel
Emergency Korean phrases: call 112 or 119 and describe the location
Choose the correct emergency number, give a usable location, and report only what you can observe.
In an emergency, location comes before perfect Korean
A traveler knows the word 도와주세요 but cannot explain where help is needed. A short location and one observable fact are more useful than a long memorized speech.
This beginner lesson teaches emergency Korean phrases for calling police or fire, rescue and ambulance services in Korea. You will choose 112 or 119, state a location, describe what you can see and listen for a few likely questions.
Do not delay a real emergency call to finish this lesson or build a perfect sentence. Use the language you have, ask a nearby person to help if possible and follow the emergency operator’s instructions.
Match the number to the service you need
For an immediate police emergency, call 112. For fire, rescue or an ambulance, call 119. The National Fire Agency describes 119 control centers as receiving and coordinating fire, rescue and emergency medical calls.
Do not choose a number only because one Korean phrase feels easier. Choose the service that matches the danger, then give the place and situation. Emergency systems and call options can change, so keep the current official links at the end of this lesson.
Open with one need or observable event
| Korean | Working meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 도와주세요. | Please help. | General opening |
| 경찰이 필요해요. | I need the police. | Police help |
| 구급차가 필요해요. | I need an ambulance. | Medical emergency |
| 불이 났어요. | There is a fire. | Visible fire |
| 사람이 다쳤어요. | Someone is injured. | Observed injury |
필요해요 means “is needed” or “I need” in these short messages. 났어요 reports that an event has occurred. Use the sentence that matches what you know; do not diagnose a condition or invent a cause.
If more than one service may be needed, report the facts instead of trying to coordinate the response yourself: 교통사고가 났고 사람이 다쳤어요. means “There was a traffic accident, and someone is injured.”
Build the location from a landmark to a precise point
| Korean | Meaning | Location detail |
|---|---|---|
| 서울역 앞이에요. | I am in front of Seoul Station. | Landmark |
| 십 번 출구 앞이에요. | I am in front of Exit 10. | Exit |
| 건물 이름은 한빛센터예요. | The building name is Hanbit Center. | Building |
| 삼 층이에요. | I am on the third floor. | Floor |
| 편의점 옆 골목이에요. | I am in the alley beside the convenience store. | Nearby feature |
Start with the largest recognizable place, then narrow it: station, exit, building and floor. Read an address from a map or sign when you have one: 주소는 서울시 ○○구 ○○로 10이에요.
Do not translate a private guess into a landmark. If you are unsure, say 정확한 주소는 모르지만 지도에 서울역 십 번 출구로 나와요.—“I do not know the exact address, but the map shows Seoul Station Exit 10.”
Report observable condition, number and change
| Korean | Meaning | What it reports |
|---|---|---|
| 의식이 있어요. | The person is conscious. | Observed response |
| 의식이 없어요. | The person is unconscious. | No observed response |
| 숨을 쉬고 있어요. | The person is breathing. | Observed breathing |
| 피가 나요. | The person is bleeding. | Visible condition |
| 움직일 수 없어요. | The person cannot move. | Reported inability |
| 다친 사람은 두 명이에요. | Two people are injured. | Number |
State only what you can observe or what the person tells you. 의식이 없어요 is a serious report; use it when the person does not respond, then listen to the operator.
A change can matter: 아까는 말했는데 지금은 대답하지 않아요. means “The person spoke earlier, but is not answering now.” Follow the operator’s questions and instructions rather than relying on this vocabulary list for first-aid decisions.
Recognize the information the operator is requesting
| Possible question | What to give | Example answer |
|---|---|---|
| 어디세요? | Location | 서울역 십 번 출구 앞이에요. |
| 무슨 일이에요? | Event | 사람이 넘어져서 다쳤어요. |
| 다친 사람이 몇 명이에요? | Number injured | 한 명이에요. |
| 의식이 있어요? | Observed response | 네, 대답하고 있어요. |
| 전화번호가 어떻게 되세요? | Callback number | 제 번호는 ○○○예요. |
The exact wording and order can differ. Listen for the question word: 어디 asks where, 무슨 일 asks what happened and 몇 명 asks how many people.
If you do not understand, say 천천히 말씀해 주세요 (“Please speak slowly”) or 영어로 말할 수 있어요? (“Can we speak in English?”). Availability of a particular language is not guaranteed by this lesson.
Give the station, exit and number of injured people
| Speaker | Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | 119입니다. 어디세요? | This is 119. Where are you? |
| Caller | 서울역 십 번 출구 앞이에요. | I am in front of Exit 10 at Seoul Station. |
| Operator | 무슨 일이에요? | What happened? |
| Caller | 사람이 넘어져서 다쳤어요. 구급차가 필요해요. | Someone fell and is injured. We need an ambulance. |
| Operator | 다친 사람이 몇 명이에요? | How many people are injured? |
| Caller | 한 명이에요. 의식이 있고 말하고 있어요. | One person. The person is conscious and speaking. |
| Operator | 정확한 위치를 다시 말씀해 주세요. | Please repeat the exact location. |
| Caller | 서울역 십 번 출구 바로 앞이에요. | It is directly in front of Exit 10 at Seoul Station. |
This is an original practice exchange, not a guaranteed dispatch script. The operator confirms location twice because the response must reach the right place. The caller reports one injured person and observable responsiveness without naming a diagnosis.
Change the station and exit in the first answer, then change the final confirmation too. Contradictory locations waste the clarity you gained from a short sentence.
Choose the number, location and observable fact
- Which number is identified for a police emergency in Korea?
- Which number is identified for fire, rescue or ambulance service?
- Say that you need an ambulance.
- Give “in front of Exit 10 at Seoul Station” as your location.
- Ask the speaker to talk slowly.
- The operator asks 다친 사람이 몇 명이에요? What information should you give?
- Why is “The person is bleeding” better than guessing a diagnosis?
- In the dialogue, list the three facts the caller confirms.
Check the answers and explanations
- 112. Current official visitor and police guidance identifies 112 for urgent police reports.
- 119. Current official visitor and National Fire Agency guidance connects 119 with fire, rescue and emergency medical response.
- 구급차가 필요해요. This states the needed service without inventing a diagnosis.
- 서울역 십 번 출구 앞이에요. Start with the station and then narrow the location to the exit.
- 천천히 말씀해 주세요. The request is useful when speech is too fast to process.
- Give the number of injured people, for example 한 명이에요. The question word 몇 명 requests a person count.
- Bleeding is an observable condition. A diagnosis may be wrong and can hide the information the operator needs to assess the call.
- The location is Seoul Station Exit 10, one person is injured, and the person is conscious and speaking.
Save the Korean name and address of your accommodation before a trip. Practise reading that location aloud, but use the real current location in an emergency.
A small listening check
Pronunciation help: Track exit and person count
Listen for 십 번 versus 구 번 and 한 명 versus 두 명.
Listen and choose
Play the sound, then select the Korean you heard. The answer buttons unlock after playback. This is one short practice item, not a pronunciation assessment.
Listen before choosing.
Current emergency services and language references
- VISITKOREA: disaster safety services for international visitors — Current official visitor guidance identifies 112 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance emergencies.
- National Fire Agency: 119 Emergency Operations Center — Official description of receiving and coordinating fire, rescue and emergency medical response.
- Korean National Police Agency — Official English site labels 112 as the crime-report number.
- Korean–English Learners’ Dictionary — Check 돕다, 경찰, 구급차, 다치다, 의식, 숨 and 위치 with example patterns.
- Korea From a Local: first-time Korea travel tips — The sister travel guide distinguishes the 1330 travel helpline from immediate emergency numbers; do not replace 112 or 119 in an emergency.
Reviewed September 4, 2026. Found a mistake? Send a correction.