Health and Safety

Crime

South Korea is a relatively safe country, with reported crime rates significantly lower than in Western countries, although theft, assault and hotel burglary might happen in major cities such as Busan or Seoul. Take care especially in known tourist areas. Nevertheless, violent crime is especially rare and you are unlikely to be a victim of one as long as you stick to your commonsense and do not go around provoking people. Use only legitimate taxis. Illegitimate taxis run even from the airport, and their safety and honesty cannot always be guaranteed. Be also careful late at night in some areas of Seoul, such as Itaewon. Should you be assaulted or mugged in Korea, DO NOT defend yourself. The police will always take the side of the Korean and you will be expected to pay compensation, and might even face jailtime. See also the travel topic articles on pickpockets and common scams.

Korean police have been known to ignore crimes commited by Koreans against foreigners, while vigorously investigating any crimes committed against locals, and any crime you become a victim of is unlikely to be investigated unless your country starts a diplomatic row with the government. The press is also known to sensationalise crimes commited by foreigners, but not report at all on crimes committed against foreigners, leading to stereotypes that foreigners only enter their country to disrupt their social order. As such, visitors should always be prudent in major cities, especially in areas frequented by foreigners, and try to avoid any signs of trouble. Single women should opt for high security apartments as there have been reported cases of women being raped in their apartment by someone who broke in through the window.

Racism

South Korea is a very homogeneous country and there is some prejudice against foreigners, especially darker-skinned ones. Violent hate crimes are rare, but nevertheless do occur from time to time, especially in nightlife areas frequented by American soldiers. Many older Koreans would react adversely to the sight of a foreign man with a Korean woman. Children of mixed descent are barred by law from military service, and will likely be picked on and discriminated against in local schools.

Traffic

With one of the highest rates of traffic deaths, Korean motorists will speed through pedestrian crossings, jump red lights and come within a hair-width distance to pedestrians and other cars alike. Even when the light turns, drivers will not stop. So, beware. Motorcyclists are particularly reckless weaving in and out on crowded sidewalks. It is up to you to avoid them.

Pedestrian crosswalks stay green for a very short period of time. When the walk signal is yellow and you are still at the curb do not cross. Instead, you should wait and be ready for the light to turn green. The moment it turns green, wait for about 3 to 5 seconds and see if other pedestrians start to cross, and if all the traffic has indeed stopped, then walk briskly to cross safely. It is safer to take underground passageways at busy intersections.





Civil Unrest

In the heart of the political centre of Seoul, near Gwanghamun and City Hall, you will see daily processions. As a reaction to the militant policies against public protests of the mid-80s, groups will routinely gather at the foot of the 'Blue House', the administrative centre of the country to demonstrate against one cause or another. It is advisable to keep away from the protests since they have the tendency to turn violent.

Local Laws

Ignorance of the law here is no excuse for breaking them and can even be seen as a reason for harsher punishment. Penalties concerning drug offenses may seem particularly harsh to westerners. They include heavy fines, lengthy jail sentences and immediate deportation. Submitting fraudulent documentation for obtaining visas can result in the same and detainment as well. Even giving somebody an English lesson can get you deported (you have to get a special visa to be allowed to teach English, and then only at your place of employment).

Emergency Numbers

* Police: 112 from a phone and region code-112 from a cellular phone
* Fire and ambulance services: 119 and region code-119 from a cellular.

Emergency-service English interpreters are available 24 hours a day.


Stay healthy

The quality of health care will vary depending on where you are. However the sheer number of hospitals and specialized clinics in the country will also offer you a greater amount of choice. In general the quality is very good.

* Most doctors will not be able to communicate in English. In the larger hospitals in big cities the doctors will be more able to accommodate people with little or no command of the Korean language.
* Although health care in South Korea is not free, it is heavily subsidized by the government and is very cheap more so in the clinics compared to the United States. For expat workers who have a medical insurance card (this is required), it is even less expensive (although still not free).
* In addition to Western medicine, Oriental medicine is quite popular in Korea. Herbal supplements can be bought in most pharmacies as well as from shops which produce their own. The most popular herbal supplements (such as Ginseng) can even be bought in convenience stores in the form of energy drinks, tea, gum, and alcohol.
* Pharmacies are usually located near hospitals, as hospitals in Korea are not allowed to dispense take-home prescriptions; prescriptions are dispensed in small paper packages.
* Although there are no official vaccinations that are required or recommended for visitors, Hepatitis A attacks the liver and is transmitted through food and water. It is an issue all over the country. But once infected time is the only cure. The Center for Disease Control designates the prevalence of infection in Korea to be intermediate. You should consult your local travel health care provider [21].
* A good basic rule to follow when travelling is when it comes to food, do what the locals do especially when it comes to water. Most will have it filtered or boiled before drinking. Although tap water in Korea is perfectly safe to drink, you may want to follow the local habits only if to get rid of the chlorine smell.