A thorough guide to essential apps to prepare for the unexpected during your stay in Korea🚨

Can you stay calm and respond appropriately when an emergency alert sounds in Korea?

While traveling or studying in Korea, have you ever been startled when a loud alert suddenly sounded from your smartphone and a notification filled the screen with Hangul?
Being in a situation where you must decide how to act without understanding the content can easily cause anxiety.

In Korea, in addition to weather-related disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, and torrential rain, safety-related alerts may also be issued depending on the situation.
That is why it is important to prepare in advance so that you can understand the information during your stay.

Today, we introduce the “Emergency Ready App,” a disaster information app for foreign nationals provided by Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
Its key feature is that you can check emergency notifications and action guides in Japanese.

What Is the Emergency Ready App? | A Disaster Information App Provided by a Korean Government Agency

The “Emergency Ready App” is an emergency disaster information app provided by Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety for foreign nationals.
It is designed to help you receive disaster and emergency information and check guidelines on how to respond while staying in Korea.
It supports multiple languages, including Japanese, and is available free of charge.

Who is it recommended for?

✅ Those planning a trip to Korea

✅ Students studying in Korea

✅ Expats working in Korea

✅ Those planning a long-term stay in Korea

✅ Those staying in Korea on a working holiday

✅ Those with family or friends living in Korea

Whether you are taking a short trip or staying long term, for all foreign nationals staying in Korea,

this app can be like a “lucky charm” that gives you peace of mind💛

What You Can Do with the Emergency Ready App | 7 Key Features

1）Check emergency information in Japanese

You can receive notifications about emergency situations such as earthquakes, typhoons, and torrential rain, and check the details in Japanese.
It can reduce situations where you are unsure how to respond after seeing a notification in Hangul.

2）Disaster-specific action guides

The app provides guidelines on what to do in different situations, including earthquakes, typhoons, and fires.
Since you can check “what to do first,” it is easier to make calm decisions.

3）Check evacuation shelters and more on a map

You can use the map to check information about nearby evacuation sites and related facilities.
This is useful for getting an idea of where to go.

4）Search for facilities such as police stations, fire stations, and hospitals

You can search for nearby police stations, fire stations, hospitals, and more, and check their addresses and contact details.
It can also be used when you need medical care due to illness or injury.

5）Support for calling the emergency number (119)

The app provides a way to call “119,” the number used for emergency contact, directly from within the app.
※Response procedures may vary depending on the region and situation, so please follow local instructions when necessary.

6）Check information for the Embassy and Consulates-General of Japan in Korea

You can check basic information, including the contact details of the Embassy and Consulates-General of Japan in Korea.
It helps you prepare for situations requiring assistance, such as loss, theft, or accidents.

7）View some information offline

The app is designed so that you can check basic information, such as action guides, even when your connection is unstable.

STEP.1

Download and initial setup (recommended before departure)

STEP1：Download the app

• iPhone: Search for “Emergency Ready App” in the App Store

• Android: Search for “Emergency Ready App” in Google Play

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STEP2：Set the language to Japanese

Select “Japanese” when choosing the language at first launch (you can also change it later).

STEP3：Allow location services and notifications

We recommend allowing location services and notifications so that you can receive emergency information.
※Set the permission scope according to your own preferences and usage policy.

How to use it in practice | Emergency use scenarios

Scenario 1: When an earthquake occurs

When an earthquake occurs in Korea, an earthquake emergency alert sounds on your smartphone.

If you have the Emergency Ready App installed, you will receive push notifications in Japanese alongside the Hangul alert, with information such as “Earthquake detected,” “Magnitude XX,” and “Epicenter.”

Open the app to immediately check the “Earthquake Response Guide” and view nearby evacuation shelters on a map. You can respond calmly.

Scenario 2: When a typhoon is approaching

Typhoons can also approach Korea from summer through autumn.

The app sends information such as “Typhoon Warning” and “Heavy Rain Warning” in Japanese, helping you decide whether to avoid going outside, stay away from underground areas and low-lying land, and more.

When traveling, some people may not check the weather regularly, but with this app, alerts are delivered automatically, so you can feel reassured🌀

Scenario 3: When a missile launch alert is issued

Alerts may be issued throughout Korea in response to events such as a missile launch from North Korea.

Seeing only Hangul can make you panic because you do not know what is happening, but if you receive information in Japanese such as “Missile launch” and “Please take shelter indoors,” you can act calmly.

You can also check evacuation locations such as subway stations and underground shopping malls on a map, allowing you to move quickly to a safe place.

Scenario 4: Sudden illness or injury

Sudden illness or injury while traveling can happen to anyone.

With the app’s “Emergency Facility Search” feature, you can quickly find nearby hospitals and emergency medical centers. You can also check hospitals that offer Japanese-language services and facilities available 24 hours a day, so you can feel reassured even late at night🏥

Conclusion | Prepare yourself to “understand the information”

To enjoy your stay in Korea with peace of mind, it is important to prepare in advance so that you can understand the content of notifications in an emergency.
The Emergency Ready App can help you check emergency information and decide how to respond.

Downloading and setting up the app before your trip or study-abroad program can reduce the burden when an emergency occurs.

Download links

• iPhone: Search for “Emergency Ready App” in the App Store
• Android: Search for “Emergency Ready App” in Google Play
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Wishing you a safe and enjoyable stay in Korea✨

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