Reporting a missing person
If someone is out of contact and you are worried, you can file a missing person report. "You must wait 24 hours" is not true.
When to report
- Contact stops in a way that is unlike them
- They said something worrying in the last call
- A child, elderly person or person with a disability is not where they should be
- They went to work and did not come back
Steps
- Call 112 or go to a nearby police station.
- Prepare the information — name, date of birth, recent photo, when and where last seen, clothing, phone number, places they go.
- Collect contacts of people they came with or worked with.
- Ask for a phone location check. Police can query it under the proper procedure.
- Register with Safe Dream (182) too.
- Cancel the report once they are found.
What you need
- A photo and personal details of the missing person
- The reporter's ID
- Records of last contact
- Information on their usual places and workplace
Where to go
- 112 police
- 182 missing persons · Safe Dream www.safe182.go.kr
- 1577-1366 Danuri Helpline (13 languages, interpretation)
- 1345 Immigration Contact Center
- Your country's embassy (to inform family abroad)
Questions people ask
I heard you must wait 24 hours. Not true. If you are worried, report now.
Can I report if I'm not family? Yes. Colleagues, friends and acquaintances can report.
Family back home says they can't reach them. Someone in Korea can report on their behalf. Tell the embassy too.
They said "I want to die" and then went silent. This is urgent. Call 112 immediately and say exactly that. Also tell 109.
Take care
Cancel the report once you find them. Police continue searching otherwise, and failing to cancel causes problems for the person later.
Related
child-missing · call-112 · call-109
Source
Korean National Police Agency Safe Dream www.safe182.go.kr / As of 2026-08