Healthcare in Korea for visitors: you pay, so bring insurance

No public cover for tourists

Korea's National Health Insurance covers foreigners only once they have registered as residents (alien registration) and lived in Korea for a set period, or work for a Korean employer. A visitor entering on a visa waiver or a K-ETA is outside it and pays for treatment.

We found no agreement that gives German, French, Chinese or Taiwanese tourists free or reduced treatment in Korea. The Germany–Korea social security agreement, for example, covers pensions and employment insurance, not health care. Germany's and France's foreign ministries both tell travellers to take out travel health insurance that also covers repatriation.

Source: National Health Insurance Act, Article 109 (Korean)

Source: France Diplomatie — South Korea, health (French)

Hospitals with interpreters

Many large Korean hospitals have an International Health Care Center with staff who speak English and other languages and help with appointments and treatment. The Korea Tourism Organization lists them, including Seoul Asan, Severance, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul St. Mary's. They work weekday office hours — at night and at weekends, go to an emergency department.

Source: Korea Tourism Organization — emergency situations and international clinics

Which number to call

• 119 — ambulance (and fire)
• 1339 — the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's 24-hour line for disease questions and suspected infectious disease. It is not an ambulance number. Foreigners are helped through a three-way call with 1330 or 1345
• 1330 — Korea Travel Helpline, for interpretation and tourist information (+82-2-1330 from abroad)

Source: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency — 1339 call centre (Korean)