How to Find Lost Items in Korea Using LOST112 and Police…

Losing your phone, wallet, or bag in a new country feels stressful. The Korean jibun (paperwork) and phone numbers can look confusing when you do not read Korean. The good news is that Korea has one of the most organized lost-and-found systems in the world. Almost every found item is logged into a single national database, and you can search it online.

This guide explains how the system works, how to use the national portal, and what to do if you lose something on the subway, in a taxi, or at the airport. It is written for foreign residents on visas like the D-2, E-7, F-6, and F-4.

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Where do lost items go in Korea?

Most lost items in Korea move to a police lost property office or a transit lost-and-found center within one or two days. Staff then log the item into LOST112, the national online portal. This means you can often search for your item from home instead of visiting every station or office in person.

The national system in plain terms

Korea uses a yusilmul (lost property) system built on one law and one website. The law is the Lost Article Act (Yusilmulbeop). The website is LOST112, managed by the Korean National Police Agency. When a person hands in a found item to any police box (jeongchal), station, or transit office, staff enter a description, photo, and location into the same database.

Because everything feeds into one portal, you do not need to guess which office holds your item. You search one place first, then go collect it.

How do I use the Found Korea portal (LOST112)?

To use the Found Korea portal, open www.lost112.go.kr, choose a category and region, and enter the date and place you lost the item. The site lists matching found items with photos. If you find yours, note the storage location and phone number, then visit or call to arrange pickup with your ID.

Step-by-step: searching LOST112

1. Open LOST112 in a browser. The site has a language option, though some pages are Korean-heavy. Use a browser translation tool if needed.
2. Select the item category (phone, wallet, bag, electronics, documents).
3. Choose the region and, if possible, the specific transit line or district.
4. Enter the lost date range. A two- or three-day window works best.
5. Review the results. Each entry shows the storage location and a contact number.

If you cannot find your item on day one, search again the next day. Items are often logged 24 to 48 hours after they are found, because staff need time to transport and register them.

Under Korea’s Lost Article Act, a finder who returns lost property may receive a reward of between 5 percent and 20 percent of the item’s value.

This quote reflects the statute published by the Ministry of Government Legislation. It is helpful to know, because a finder may politely expect a small reward when you collect a valuable item.

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How do I report a lost item on the Korea subway?

To report a lost item on the Korea subway, note your line, the approximate time, and the station where you exited. Contact the lost-and-found center for that subway line, or search LOST112. Seoul Metro and other operators forward found items to a central center, usually within one to two days of pickup.

Subway lost-and-found for foreigners

Seoul’s subway is run by several operators, mainly Seoul Metro and Korail for wider lines. Each operator keeps a lost-and-found center (yusilmul-center). If you leave a bag on a train, the item often reaches the center at the end of that line.

To report a lost item on the Korea subway as a foreigner, do this:

1. Write down the line number, direction, and the time you rode.
2. Note the last station where you had the item.
3. Call the operator’s lost-and-found center, or ask a station agent to help you call.
4. Search LOST112 at the same time, since transit items also appear there.

If language is a barrier, the Seoul Global Center offers multilingual help and can call the center for you. Staff there support English, Chinese, and several other languages.

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How does the police lost property office work?

A police lost property office stores items handed in by the public. Any found object should reach a police station under the Lost Article Act. Staff register it on LOST112 and hold it while they try to find the owner. If no owner claims it, ownership may pass to the finder after six months.

Police lost property office Korea guide

If you think your item went to a police station, you have two options. First, search LOST112 by district. Second, visit or call the nearest station. You do not need to visit the exact station that received the item, because officers can look up the national record for you.

When you contact a police lost property office, prepare these details:

• A clear description of the item (color, brand, model).
• Any unique marks, such as a phone lock screen, a sticker, or a case.
• The date and place you lost it.
• Your ARC or passport for identity checks.

The Korean National Police Agency runs a general help line for civil matters. Station staff can also route you to the correct office. For official service records, Government24 links to many public agencies in English.

How to claim lost belongings in Korea

To claim lost belongings in Korea, prove that the item is yours. Show ID and describe details only the owner would know, such as a phone passcode or the contents of a wallet. Bring your ARC or passport. For valuable items returned by a finder, be ready to offer a small legal reward.

Claiming your item, step by step

1. Confirm the storage location from LOST112 or the office phone call.
2. Check the office hours before you travel. Many centers close on weekends or public holidays.
3. Bring your ARC (alien registration card) or passport.
4. Describe hidden details of the item to prove ownership.
5. Sign the release form the staff give you.

If your lost item was your ARC or passport itself, the process is different. A lost ARC must be reported and reissued through the immigration system. Start at HiKorea, the portal of the Korea Immigration Service. Do not delay, because your ARC is your legal ID in Korea.

Taxis, airports, and buses

Items left in a taxi can be harder to trace, because taxis move across the city. If you used a booking app such as KakaoTaxi, check the app’s trip history and use its lost-item contact feature. You can also file the loss on LOST112 so any handed-in item matches your report.

For airports, Incheon International Airport and Korea Airports Corporation keep their own lost-and-found desks. Contact the airport directly if you lost an item after security or on a shuttle. Bus items usually go to the bus company’s depot, and they are logged on the national portal as well.

A simple recovery checklist

• Search LOST112 first, before traveling anywhere.
• Note the exact place, time, and transport line.
• Report the loss even if you see no match yet, so future entries can link to you.
• Bring your ARC or passport to claim the item.
• Be ready to offer a legal 5-20% reward for high-value items returned by a finder.
• For a lost ARC or passport, go straight to HiKorea to report and reissue.

Korea’s lost-and-found network is efficient and honest, and many residents recover phones and wallets every week. Search the national portal early, keep your details ready, and use the multilingual help desks when the Korean feels heavy.