From convenience-store meds to hospital departments to the 3rd-tier hospital rule, in the order you'd actually need them.
As of September 2026
Getting sick while traveling is stressful enough without a language barrier on top. This guide walks through it in order — convenience store → pharmacy → hospital — so you know exactly what you can do at each stage.
Korean law limits which over-the-counter meds convenience stores can sell. As of September 2026, there are 11 approved items:
Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced plans to expand the convenience-store list to up to 20 items (digestive medicine, anti-diarrheal medicine, and artificial tears are among the items being discussed). This hasn't taken effect yet, so if you're visiting after December, you may see more options than the list above.
If convenience-store meds aren't enough, you'll need an actual pharmacy. Searching "pharmacy" in English on Naver Map doesn't turn up much — search the Korean word "약국" instead, or use "pharmacy" on Google Maps, which works better in English. Pharmacies usually have a green cross sign, but plenty don't display one, so searching a map is far more reliable than looking for the sign.
Here are a few late-hour pharmacies near the main tourist areas.
Double-check the exact hours on a map app right before you go — pharmacy hours change fairly often.
Not knowing Korean makes even naming the right department feel impossible. Tap a card below to copy the Korean name, or tap the map button to search it directly on Naver Map.
Korean hospitals are grouped into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tiers by size. In terms of staff, facilities, and equipment, 3rd-tier ("advanced general") hospitals really are the biggest and most specialized — that part is true. The catch isn't quality, it's access: you generally can't go without a referral letter.
Most 1st-tier clinics and 2nd-tier hospitals are closed entirely on public holidays, and on Saturdays they usually don't shut down — they just close early, often around 1:00 PM. Unless it's a large hospital with an emergency room, don't assume it's open at any hour. Check a map app (like Naver Map) for that day's actual hours before you head over.
Unless it's a serious accident or condition, always start at a 1st-tier clinic. Busan only has these 4 advanced general (3rd-tier) hospitals — if a place isn't on this list, whatever "hospital" you find on a map is almost certainly 1st- or 2nd-tier.
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Pharmacy hours, the OTC-med list, and hospital designations can all change. Let us know and we'll check and update it right away.