Finding evacuation shelters
Shelters are something you learn in advance, not something you look up in an emergency.
Types of shelter
- Earthquake outdoor assembly points — sports fields, parks and other open ground.
- Tsunami shelters — high ground in coastal areas.
- Civil defence shelters — subway stations, building basements.
- Temporary housing for disaster victims — school gyms, village halls, when you lose your home.
- Cooling and cold-wave shelters — community centres, senior centres, libraries.
How to find them
- National Disaster Safety Portal www.safekorea.go.kr — enter an address for nearby shelters.
- The Safety Diddimdol app — multilingual, and it delivers disaster alerts too. Install it now.
- Search "대피소" on Naver or Kakao maps.
- Ask your community service centre directly.
Do this now
- Identify two shelters near home and work and note them on your phone.
- Agree a family meeting point. Communications can fail.
- Install the Safety Diddimdol app and set your language.
- Prepare an emergency bag — water, torch, medication, power bank, a copy of your passport.
When going to a shelter
- Bring your passport and Alien Registration Card.
- Medication and glasses — whatever you personally cannot do without.
- Phone and charger.
- Don't delay by over-packing. Your body comes first.
Where to go
- National Disaster Safety Portal www.safekorea.go.kr
- Safety Diddimdol app (multilingual)
- 119 rescue · 112 danger
- Your local community service centre
- 1577-1366 · 1345 interpretation
Questions people ask
Can foreigners use shelters? Yes. Disaster evacuation has nothing to do with nationality. Use them without hesitation.
What if I have no residence status? Life comes first. Go to the shelter. If you are worried, consult 1345 or a support organisation afterwards.
I don't speak Korean. Install the Safety Diddimdol app and set your language. At the shelter you can use 1577-1366 interpretation.
Can I bring my pet? It varies by facility. Asking your local government in advance is wise.
Take care
Searching after the disaster strikes is too late. Install the Safety Diddimdol app now and note the shelters near home. It takes five minutes, and those five minutes save lives.
Related
disaster-alert-understanding · flood-emergency · earthquake-emergency · typhoon-emergency
Source
Ministry of the Interior and Safety, National Disaster Safety Portal www.safekorea.go.kr / As of 2026-08