What Korean government apps should foreigners know about, and how do I actually use them with limited Korean?

Korean government apps are essential for daily life as a foreigner, and most have English support. Hi Korea (하이코리아) is the immigration office app for visa renewals, e-ARC card management, and re-entry permits, with full English UI. Government24 (정부24) handles certificates like residence (주민등록등본), tax (납세증명서), and family records (기본증명서) in English, instantly downloadable as PDFs. Hometax (홈택스) for income tax filing, year-end settlement, and business tax, with 80 percent English coverage.

For health, the National Health Insurance app (NHIS) shows your insurance status, monthly premiums, and lets you change registered address. The COVID-era Q-Code app is now the Q-Step health tracker for vaccinations, useful for keeping records. Safe Korea (안전디딤돌) translates emergency alerts into English (essential during typhoon season). MOEL (Ministry of Employment and Labor) app for unemployment benefits, severance disputes, and labor law inquiries.

Most critically: PASS (모바일 운전면허증) for digital ID, mobile driver's license, and authentication. Sign up requires Korean phone number and ARC, but it replaces 70 percent of in-person identity checks. Toss and Kakao Pay handle most digital signatures. To set them up, you'll need a Korean phone number, ARC, and one of the 인증서 (digital certificates), either NPKI from your bank, the Naver/Kakao certificates, or PASS app, all of which serve as authentication for other apps. Visit your bank's branch first to issue your digital certificate, then most apps will accept it. The 1345 hotline can walk you through any setup step in your language.