First aid basics
The first rule of first aid is that the rescuer must be safe.
The sequence
- Check the scene is safe. Don't approach roads, fire, electricity, gas or unstable structures.
- Check responsiveness. Tap the shoulders and ask "괜찮으세요?" (are you all right?).
- Call 119. Alone, use speakerphone. With others present, point at someone specific — "you, in the blue jacket, call 119."
- Check breathing. If absent, start CPR. See cpr.
- Follow 119's instructions. They will guide you by phone.
What not to do
- Never give water or medicine to an unresponsive person. It goes into the airway.
- Don't move someone with a suspected neck or spine injury — the only exception is immediate danger such as fire.
- Don't pull out an embedded object (knife, glass, rebar). Bleeding worsens. Stabilise around it and call 119.
- Don't put ice, soybean paste or oil on burns. See burns.
- Don't try to realign a fracture.
Worth knowing
- The recovery position — someone unresponsive but breathing should be rolled onto their side so vomit cannot block the airway.
- Bleeding — press firmly and directly with a clean cloth. See bleeding.
- AEDs are in subway stations and public buildings. Switching one on gives voice instructions. Don't be afraid to use it.
Getting trained
The Korean Red Cross and fire stations run first aid training. Learning it once can save your family. Ask your local fire station.
Where to go
- 119 emergency (multilingual interpretation available)
- 1339 Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency
- Korean Red Cross www.redcross.or.kr (first aid training)
- Your local fire station
- 1577-1366 · 1345 interpretation
Questions people ask
Am I liable if something goes wrong while helping? Korea's emergency medical legislation includes protection for good-faith emergency assistance. Don't be afraid to help — though following 119's instructions is the safest course.
Can I call 119 without Korean? Yes. 119 connects to multilingual interpretation. See what-to-say-emergency.
I've never used an AED. Switch it on and it talks you through each step. Place the pads as shown in the diagram. Using it is far better than not.
I don't know the address. Turn on your phone's location and give the building name or a nearby landmark. See my-location.
Take care
The most common mistake is calling 119 late. Call first, then treat while on the line. The 119 operator will tell you exactly what to do.
Related
cpr · choking · bleeding · burns · call-119 · what-to-say-emergency
Source
Korean Red Cross www.redcross.or.kr / As of 2026-08