Korea is known for returning lost items, and phones and wallets do come back more often than in many countries. But as a visitor you face a language gap, a short stay and a local system you have not used before. Knowing where to report a loss in the first hour makes a big difference.
This guide covers who to contact, what to say, what to do if you are the one who found something, and what to do if you have already flown home. Phone numbers and opening hours can change, so check the official site before you call.
Who to Contact First
Match where you lost it with the right office.
| Where you lost it | Start here | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Street, park, beach, shop | Lost112 (minwon24.police.go.kr) or nearest police station | Ask the shop or venue staff too |
| Subway | Station attendant or the operator's lost-property centre | Lost112 |
| KTX / Korail train | Station staff or Korail customer centre (1544-7788) | Lost112 |
| Taxi | Taxi company, using your card receipt or app booking | 120 Dasan Call Center, Lost112 |
| Not sure | 120 Dasan Call Center | 1330 Korea Travel Hotline |
Tips to avoid mistakes
- Act within hours, not days. Items found on transit are moved to a central office or handed to the police soon after.
- Note the details. Line, direction, time, train car or taxi number, and your payment receipt all help staff find your item.
- Lock a lost phone first. Use Find My iPhone or Find My Device, then report the loss to the police and your carrier.
- Register your T-money card. Only registered or mobile cards can have the balance protected.
- Keep a photo of your passport. Many offices ask for ID when you collect an item.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on where you lost it. If you lost it on the street, in a shop or at a tourist site, report it to the police through Lost112 (the National Police Agency's lost-property service, now run through the Police Minwon24 portal at minwon24.police.go.kr) or at any police station. If you lost it on the subway, a train, a bus or in a taxi, contact that operator's lost-property desk first, then check Lost112, because found items are often handed to the police. If you are not sure, the 120 Dasan Call Center can point you to the right place.
Hand it in at the nearest police station or police box, or to the staff of the venue if you found it inside a shop, station or hotel. Do not keep it or take anything out of it. Under Korean law, keeping a lost item can count as a crime. A finder who hands an item in can ask for a reward of 5 to 20 percent of its value from the owner.
A normal, unregistered T-money card works like cash, so the stored balance is generally not recoverable if you lose it. Balance protection is offered only for registered cards or mobile T-money, so register the card if you plan to keep it. If you find a card, hand it in to the police or a subway station office. Because cards are cheap, the most practical fix is to buy a new one and spend any remaining balance first.
Dial 120 from a Korean phone and choose the foreign-language option, or ask for English. Dasan is Seoul's civil-service hotline, and it offers interpreter support in several languages. It can help you work out which office to call and relay basic questions. For travel-related issues anywhere in Korea, the Korea Travel Hotline on 1330 also offers English support. Check each service's current hours before you call.
For the subway, tell a station attendant or call the operator's lost-property centre, giving the line, direction, time and train car. For a KTX or other Korail train, ask the station staff or call the Korail customer centre on 1544-7788, quoting your ticket. For a taxi, use the card receipt or app booking to identify the car and contact the taxi company, or ask the 120 Dasan Call Center for help. Act quickly, because items are moved to a central office or the police after a short time.
It is possible but slow. You can file a lost-item report online through the police portal (Lost112, now part of Police Minwon24) before you fly. Collection is normally in person, so you can authorise a friend, hotel or relative in Korea to pick it up with a signed letter and copies of ID. International shipping is not guaranteed, so ask the holding office. Unclaimed items are kept for a limited period, around six months, before ownership can pass to the finder or the state.
Wrap Up
Report fast, give exact details, and use Lost112 plus the operator's own desk together. If you get stuck, 120 Dasan and 1330 can bridge the language gap. For more practical help on getting around, paying and staying safe, browse the rest of the Must-Know Tips on innerkorea.com.