How do I visit a hospital in Korea as a foreigner?
How do I book appointments for hospitals, government offices, and other services online in Korea? Everything seems to require a phone call in Korean.
1 Answer
You are right that a lot still seems to want a Korean phone call, but more and more can be booked online or by app. For clinics and hospitals, the app Ddocdoc lets you find nearby clinics, see wait times, and book without calling, which is a lifesaver; big hospitals also have their own apps and sites for appointments, though first visits sometimes still need a call or walk-in. For restaurants, Catch Table and Naver handle reservations. For government services, many tasks need no appointment at all and can be done online through Government24 for civil documents, Hometax for tax, and HiKorea for immigration, where you now book office visits online. For things that truly need a call in Korean, you can use the 120 Dasan call center in Seoul, which offers interpretation, the 1345 immigration line, which is multilingual, or the BBB Korea volunteer interpretation service that connects you to a live interpreter by phone. A Korean-speaking friend or your company's HR can also book on your behalf. Start with Ddocdoc for medical and HiKorea for immigration, and you will avoid most phone calls.