Emergency numbers

Police
112
Fire / Ambulance
119
Tourist hotline (multilingual)
1330

General safety level

Busan is widely regarded as a safe city for tourists, with low rates of violent crime affecting visitors. That said, ordinary travel precautions still apply — keep an eye on bags in crowded markets and nightlife areas, and use standard caution late at night, particularly around Seomyeon's nightlife district.

Emergency numbers worth saving before you land

Korea's police emergency number is 112, and fire and ambulance services are reached at 119 — both can be dialed from a Korean SIM or most local WiFi-calling setups. The Korea Tourism Organization also runs a 24-hour multilingual travel hotline at 1330, which can help with translation, directions or general trip issues even if it's not a true emergency.

Save these numbers in your phone before you land rather than trying to look them up in the moment.

Healthcare for visitors

Korea has a well-developed healthcare system, and pharmacies (marked 약국) are common and can help with minor ailments without an appointment. For anything beyond a minor issue, larger hospitals in Seomyeon and Haeundae are more likely to have English-speaking staff than smaller neighborhood clinics.

Travel insurance is strongly recommended, since public healthcare pricing for non-residents and payment procedures differ from what many visitors are used to at home.

Good to know: Specific hospital names, insurance requirements and payment procedures change and vary by nationality and visa type. Confirm details with your insurance provider and, if relevant, your embassy before you travel.

A few local norms worth knowing

  • Jaywalking is technically illegal and enforcement varies — it's safest to cross at marked crossings, especially near busy intersections
  • Smoking is banned in many outdoor public areas including some beaches and parks, with designated smoking zones instead
  • Tap water is generally treated as safe by infrastructure standards, though many residents and visitors still prefer bottled or filtered water out of habit
  • If you lose an item, Korea has a strong culture of returning lost property — checking with the nearest police box (paltch'ulso) or the venue's lost-and-found is often worthwhile before assuming it's gone