Bee and wasp stings
Whole-body hives or breathlessness after a sting is anaphylaxis. Call 119 immediately.
First aid
- If the sting remains, scrape it out with a card edge. Pinching with fingers injects more venom.
- Wash with soap and water.
- Apply ice to reduce swelling and pain.
- Keep the stung area below heart level.
- Watch for a whole-body reaction — hives, dizziness, breathing difficulty.
- At any systemic symptom, call 119 immediately. See allergic-reaction.
Call 119 at once when
- Hives and itching over the whole body
- Swelling of lips, tongue or throat
- Breathlessness or wheezing
- Dizziness or fainting
- Dozens of stings at once
- A sting inside the mouth or throat — the airway can swell shut.
Prevention
- If you find a nest, don't touch it — ask 119 to remove it.
- For outdoor work, grave visits and hiking, avoid dark clothing, perfume and sweet drinks.
- If a wasp approaches, don't run — move away slowly, keeping low.
- Hornets are most aggressive from late summer into autumn — take particular care in the grave-visiting season.
Where to go
- 119 (systemic reactions, nest removal)
- A nearby clinic or A&E
- 1339 Korea Disease Control Agency
- 1345 interpretation
Questions people ask
The sting site is swelling badly. Swelling around the site alone is a local reaction and common. Ice it, and get seen if it is severe or spreading.
I reacted badly to a previous sting. The next reaction can be worse. See an allergy clinic and get an auto-injector prescribed. See allergic-reaction.
I was stung while working outdoors. After treatment, check whether it counts as an industrial accident. With multiple stings or systemic symptoms, always be seen.
There's a nest near my home. Don't remove it yourself. Call 119 and they will.
Take care
After multiple hornet stings, go to hospital even without symptoms — a large venom dose can cause a delayed systemic reaction. Spraying insecticide at a nest provokes a mass attack.
Related
allergic-reaction · first-aid-basics · dog-bite · hiking · call-119
Source
National Fire Agency www.nfa.go.kr / As of 2026-08