Safety, Scams & Who to Call
The essentials
- Overcharged by a taxi? Get the receipt, photograph the plate, and call 120 (Dasan Call Center, foreign languages) or 1330 (Tourist Police) — confirmed cases mean up to a 30-day license suspension for the driver.
- A QR code stuck to a restaurant table or a Wi-Fi network imitating the airport's name may be "quishing" or a fake network. Confirm payment QRs with staff; report harm to KISA 118.
- Find hospitals and pharmacies open on holidays at e-gen.or.kr. Before booking any skin or cosmetic procedure, check the clinic or agency is registered at medicalkorea.or.kr/korp.
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- K-Beauty · Medical Tourism Policy ·Busan's Medical Tourism Festival Opens October 16 — Check Agency Registration Before You Book
Event name 5th Busan Seo-gu Medical Tourism Festival · Dates October 16-17 · Location around Songdo Ocean Park, Seo-gu, Busan · Organizers Busan Seo-gu, Pusan National University Hospital, Dong-A University Hospital, Kosin University Gospel Hospital and others · Search for registered facilities medicalkorea.or.kr/korp
- Arrival Basics · Japan ·What Happens When You Scan That QR Code — 'Quishing' and Fake Wi-Fi Targeting Japanese Visitors
Names of the tactics quishing (QR code + phishing), fake Wi-Fi ("evil twin") · Responsible agencies Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), National Police Agency Cyber Investigation Bureau · Reporting and consultation KISA 118 Cyber Complaint Center · Prevention principles do not scan QR codes of unclear origin; do not enter financial information over public Wi-Fi
- Travel Safety ·How to Dodge Myeongdong's Late-Night Taxi Overcharging
Report overcharging to the Dasan Call Center at 120 (foreign-language support available) or the Tourist Police at 1330 · Confirmed violations carry a license suspension of up to 30 days · The best defense is booking through an app like Kakao T, which locks in the fare before you ride.
- Weather & Safety ·Chuseok's Four-Day Holiday: When Should You Pack an Umbrella?
Source Korea Meteorological Administration, released September 23, 2026 / Sept 24 (holiday day 1): mostly cloudy nationwide, rain from late night in northern Gangwon's east coast and mountains, fog on the west coast and inland areas from dawn to morning / Sept 25 (Chuseok day): mostly cloudy, rain in Gangwon's east coast and mountains and northern Gyeongbuk's east coast from dawn to morning, spreading to central Korea, Jeonbuk and central-northern Gyeongbuk from evening / Sept 26: rain in the southern region and Jeju / Sept 27: mostly cloudy nationwide, rain in Jeju through the morning / Temperatures: morning lows 12-20°C, daytime highs 23-29°C.
- Health & Safety Guide ·Sick During Chuseok? One Site Finds Every Open Hospital and Pharmacy
Sept 24-27, Chuseok holiday · E-Gen (e-gen.or.kr), the emergency medical portal run by Korea's National Emergency Medical Center, lets you search by region, date and department for hospitals and pharmacies open at that hour · By phone: Ministry of Health and Welfare call center 129, or 120 in Seoul (Dasan Call Center) · The same information is available through the "Emergency Medical Information" smartphone app.
- K-Beauty · Medical & Cosmetic Procedure System ·What to Know About Korea's Medical Tourism System Before You Visit — Brokers, Before-and-After Photos and Dispute Resolution
Tourist interpretation and information hotline 1330 (toll-free within Korea; +82-2-1330 from abroad) · To report illegal patient solicitation Korea Health Industry Development Institute's Center for Reporting Illegal Solicitation of Foreign Patients, 043-713-8932 (medicalkorea.or.kr/kmediwatch) · Look up registered medical institutions medicalkorea.or.kr/korp · Medical dispute consultation Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency, 1670-2545
- Weather Information ·Korea Meteorological Administration Issues Chuseok Holiday Weather Advisory Today — Watch for Fog and Wide Temperature Swings
Issued 5 a.m., September 21, 2026 (Korea Meteorological Administration) · Period covered September 21–24 · Wide day-night temperature swings, with dense fog inland through the morning hours · Watch for high waves and swells along coasts and at sea · Detailed forecast weather.go.kr/w/special/chuseok
- K-Food ·Noryangjin Fish Market: How to Enjoy Fresh Sashimi Without Overpaying
Located at 674 Nodeul-ro in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market is Korea's largest seafood wholesale market and is a short walk from No…
- K-Food ·Mayak Gimbap & Bindaetteok: A Foreigner's Guide to Gwangjang Market
Step into the alleys of Gwangjang Market in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and you're greeted first by the sizzle and savory smell of bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) frying…
- K-Beauty ·K-Beauty Q&A: What to Check Before a Procedure or a Purchase
This week's K-Beauty corner answers three questions travelers often ask, using official sources. Q1. I want a cosmetic procedure. How do I check the clinic? Th…
- News ·Overcharging, reckless taxis: tourist complaints hit a record high
Complaints filed by foreign tourists in Korea have hit a record high this year, according to Korea Tourism Organization tallies (Yonhap News TV, September 6, 20…