Staying Safe on Our South Korea Tours
I consider South Korea a clean and safe country. The risks of getting sick or becoming a crime victim are quite low, which is in part why it is such a wonderful country to travel to.
The most significant risk to you is an accident – tripping, not looking before crossing the street, rushing to catch a bus/train, etc. Another potential risk is natural disasters, as Korea is susceptible to typhoons, flooding, extreme heat, and other hazards. I expand on how to prepare below.
Be very careful when walking
We don’t ever need to hurry. If we’re walking as a group and you pass whoever is leading at the time, you’re walking too fast.
Korea has a confluence of factors that make tripping a real possibility:
- They don’t have the lawsuit culture the U.S. does, so trip hazards are common. Sidewalks may be uneven, or a step might be bigger or smaller than you are used to. And we walk a lot on our tours, so you will encounter these things.
- The sights can be mesmerizing, distracting your awareness.
- Things may differ from where you think they are – a recessed seating area where you expect a floor, for example. Or there might be hazards that you don’t expect – a tiny step into a bathroom (even your hotel room’s), for example.
- Things are smaller and more crowded in Korea’s cities than ours.
So, be mindful of your surroundings and take your time.
Resources to Prepare for the Worst
- American citizens may want to enroll their trip in the STEP program with the U.S. Department of State. Non-American tour guests should look into the equivalent for their home country.
- Check the latest information on Americans traveling to South Korea from the U.S. Embassy and the Department of State.
- Download the ROK Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s “Emergency Ready” app (Google and iPhone), which allows users to receive emergency alerts in English, locate the closest emergency shelter, and quickly make emergency 119 calls.
- Review the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s guidelines.
- Download the American Forces Network AFN Go app (Google and iPhone). The app grants access to all available AFN radio stations in the Pacific Region. During a crisis, listeners can receive up-to-the-minute information. You can also access AFN Pacific on a web browser.
Phone Numbers and Resources In Case Something Bad Occurs
You have the phone numbers and contact information for your tour staff listed on your itinerary.
Local emergency numbers:
- 119 – Medical/Fire/Rescue
- 112 – Police
- 1330 – Tourism Travel Helpline
An American citizen with an emergency in South Korea can call the U.S. Embassy at (02) 397-4114 (outside of South Korea: +82-2-397-4114). The embassy address is: 188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.
The U.S. Embassy has a page dedicated to emergency preparedness for U.S. Citizens in South Korea (PDF version available).
Canadian Embassy: (02) 3783-6000 (+82-2-3783-6000 from outside Korea).
If An Emergency Occurs During Our Tour
If you’re away from the group, make your way to the hotel if and when it is safe, or proceed to the nearest shelter if advised to do so by the local authorities. You will have detailed itineraries with map links. We advise you to carry a hotel card too.