# South Korea EMS Financing: Free 119 Rescue, Licensed Ambulances and Statutory Fees > English South Korea EMS reimbursement: free public 119 emergency ambulances, private ambulance maximum fees, KRW base and mileage charges and medical procurement. - Canonical: https://www.medicalcooling.com/south-korea-ems-reimbursement-atlas/ - Markdown: https://www.medicalcooling.com/south-korea-ems-reimbursement-atlas/index.md - Language: en - Last modified: 2026-11-02T21:56:33+00:00 # South Korea EMS Financing: Free 119 Rescue, Licensed Ambulances and Statutory Fees Research snapshot · 14 August 2026. South Korea makes a particularly clear distinction between two ambulance services: public 119 emergency response provided by the fire service and hospital/privately operated medical ambulance transfers governed by the Emergency Medical Service Act. The latter use nationally regulated maximum transport and accompanying-treatment fees. Key finding: Fire-service 119 ambulances are free nationally for genuine emergencies. Other ambulance transfers follow legal ceilings: up to 10 km, a standard ambulance is KRW 30,000 or KRW 20,000 for certain nonprofit operators; a special ambulance is KRW 75,000 or KRW 50,000. ## 1. Responsibility levels LevelRole National Fire Agency (NFA)119 emergency-response policies, national coordination and EMS system management. Metropolitan City / Province Fire HeadquartersOperational 119 rescue and regional implementation. Ministry of Health and Welfare / national lawRegulates private and medical ambulance providers and permissible transport/treatment charges. Hospital / licensed ambulance operatorBillable non-119 transfers under national fee rules; hospital treatment billed separately. Source: [National Fire Agency – 119 Emergency Medical Division](https://www.nfa.go.kr/nfa/introduce/organizationidfo/firstaid/). ## 2. Public 119 ambulance Government legal guidance explicitly states that fire-service 119 emergency ambulances are free nationwide in genuine emergencies regardless of distance or number of patients. Nonurgent interregional or interfacility transport is instead handled by licensed hospital or private ambulance operators. Source: [Korean Government Easy Law – Ambulance Use](https://www.easylaw.go.kr/CSP/OnhunqueansInfoRetrieve.laf?onhunqnaAstSeq=86&onhunqueSeq=4729). ## 3. Statutory ambulance charges ServiceMedical institution / licensed operatorNonprofit corporation Standard ambulance · up to 10 kmKRW 30,000KRW 20,000 Standard · over 10 kmKRW 1,000 per kmKRW 800 per km Doctor, nurse or EMT on boardKRW 15,000 surchargeKRW 10,000 surcharge Special ambulance · up to 10 kmKRW 75,000KRW 50,000 Special · over 10 kmKRW 1,300 per kmKRW 1,000 per km 00:00–04:00+20% on base fare and mileage+20% on base fare and mileage These tariffs are stated in the government's Easy Law guidance citing Article 24 of the Emergency Medical Service Act and its Enforcement Rule, Annex 3. The relevant Enforcement Rule was in force in 2026. Sources: [Easy Law – Medical and Ambulance Fees](https://www.easylaw.go.kr/CSP/CnpClsMain.laf?ccfNo=2&cciNo=4&cnpClsNo=1&csmSeq=906&popMenu=ov) · [National Law Information Center – Enforcement Rule](https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsInfoP.do?ancYnChk=0&chrClsCd=010202&efYd=20260713&lsiSeq=288097&urlMode=lsInfoP). Billing boundary: Under these statutory rules, additional charges generally cannot be added for medical devices, treatment, supplies/medication, waiting time, tolls, card payment or companions beyond the allowed transport/treatment fees. Hospital treatment is billed separately. ## 4. AIRCHILL implications - For 119 public EMS, the primary device pathway is public procurement and fire-service budgeting, not a patient transport fee. - For hospital/private ambulances, national capped tariffs constrain the ability to add a new onboard medical device to the ambulance invoice. - Costs of a device must not be confused with legally permitted transport charges; no AIRCHILL-specific add-on code has been established. - Procurement, hospital economics and clinical evidence are more relevant than assumed extra ambulance fees. Research and billing boundary: The table describes ambulance transport charges, not the complete hospital or insurance reimbursement of an emergency episode. [Global EMS Reimbursement Atlas](https://www.medicalcooling.com/global-reimbursement-atlas/) · [Japan](https://www.medicalcooling.com/japan-ems-reimbursement-atlas/). English working translation of the [German source page](https://www.medicalcooling.com/de/south-korea-ems-reimbursement-atlas/) with original dated values and primary-source links. Market-data/legal review pending; AIRCHILL has no known separate device reimbursement code.