Check 112 interpretation to help a foreign friend report a crime in Korea

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said foreign arrivals from January through August this year reached 15.05 million, up 21.6% from the same period last year, and that October, the "travel month," is when the most foreign visitors come. It is worth knowing what 112 is for, whether you help a foreign friend, relative or neighbor report an incident or need to report one yourself. Tourism and residency interpretation is covered in the earlier post, "Find out about 1330 and 1345, free interpretation hotlines for foreigners facing a language barrier." For a medical emergency involving illness or injury, call 119, the fire service.

What reports can 112 interpretation help with?

112 interpretation connects callers and police who speak different languages. The May 2024 KOCIS guide says foreigners can report incidents through a three-way call with an interpreter. This is an option when you cannot fully explain the situation in Korean.

The same guide says to dial 112 without an area code and that reports can be made by phone or text. Its description of three-way interpretation concerns phone reports. Whether text reports get the same interpretation is not clear from it.

This interpretation supports crime reports and urgent police matters. If you assume 112 also handles tourist information or residency questions, you may dial the wrong number.

When was interpretation expanded to 24 hours?

The Korean National Police Agency announced that English and Chinese interpretation would expand to 24 hours a day, every day of the year, from 9 a.m. on March 18, 2024. The KOCIS guide and Korea JoongAng Daily's report that day show what changed.

Korea JoongAng Daily reported that the two languages were selected based on demand and that interpreters had received training in handling crime reports. They could also provide interpretation for officers in the field when needed. Foreign callers' reporting calls averaged 2 minutes and 21 seconds shorter than with the previous private interpretation service.

The same article described a March 12, 2024 incident at Seoraksan in which a three-way call helped locate and rescue a foreign hiker trapped between rocks. You cannot expect every report to save the same time or end the same way.

This is all based on the 2024 announcement. I could not confirm from an official source whether the languages or hours have changed since. Japanese and Vietnamese were mentioned then only as possible additions, so check Korean National Police Agency notices if you need another language.

How do the 2026 foreign affairs team plans differ from telephone interpretation?

The Korea Times reported on January 26, 2026 that the police agency planned to set up 23 foreign affairs teams handling matters involving foreigners in 15 of the country's 28 mobile patrol units in the first half of the year, seven of them in Seoul. Members were to be chosen mainly for foreign-language ability, and the teams were expected to form around February.

That article reported a plan, and I could not confirm actual deployment. You cannot say that every team is operating or that a foreign-language-speaking officer is available wherever you go. Interpretation on a reporting call and field teams are separate things to check.

What can you prepare with a foreign friend?

The preparations below are general suggestions, not procedures stated in the official documents. Visitors unfamiliar with Korean can do them alone, or a friend or relative in Korea can help write them down.

• Save 112 in your phone contacts with a label identifying it as the police reporting number.
• During the call, say that you need foreign-language interpretation and name the language you speak.
• Make a note of a building or station name you can use to explain your location.
• When you send this guidance to a friend, mention that the interpretation announcement dates from 2024.

Check the 112-related notices on the Korean National Police Agency website for the interpretation language you need and the operating hours.