📌 Finding Lost Items in Korea — Police Minwon24 & LOST112 + Public Transport Lost & Found: The Complete Guide 🧳

⚠️ Please note — The phone numbers, operating hours, storage practices, and English-support availability below vary by agency, branch, and season and change often. The lost-and-found search portal is being reorganized, so you may still see the old LOST112 (lost112.go.kr) address or name — but some agencies (Seoul Metro, Incheon Airport, etc.) now direct you to Police Minwon24. Using the official police site's "Found Items search" is safest. The numbers below are accurate as of July 2026 and subject to change, so always reconfirm via each agency's official channels or a map app before visiting. Calling a lost-and-found center to confirm your item has arrived saves you a wasted trip.

⏱️ 30-Second Summary — Just Remember This!

🔎 Official search → "Found Items" on Police Minwon24
📝 Lost report → Online reports may require sign-up / identity check
🚇 Subway → Tell staff the time, station, direction, and car you were in
🚌 Bus → Note the route number & boarding time, ask the bus company
🚕 Taxi → Check vehicle info from your ride-hailing app record or receipt
🚄 Train → Have your train number, car & seat number ready for KORAIL/SRT
✈️ Airport → Terminal = airport, cabin = airline, rail/bus = the operator
💳 Valuables → Freeze cards, lock your phone, report passport immediately
🌍 Language help → 1330 tourist line; in Seoul, 120 Dasan Call
🚨 Suspect theft → Don't wait — call 112

1. 🔎 First thing to do — search "Found Items" on Police Minwon24

Korea's official lost-and-found information can be searched through the police Police Minwon24 (경찰민원24) lost-property service. It lets you look up items reported at subways, buses, trains, taxis, airports, and police stations nationwide — especially useful when you're not sure where you lost it.

• Use "Found Items search" on the official police site. Search by item name (e.g., wallet, iPhone), color, and the area/date you lost it.

• You may still see the old LOST112 address or name. If so, use the official link provided there to reach Police Minwon24.

• On mobile, use the Police Minwon24 website. Whether a separate app exists and what it does should be checked on the app store and official police guidance.

• Searching found items is generally possible without logging in, but filing an online lost report may require sign-up and identity verification.

2. 📝 Filing an online lost report and getting alerts

Lead: Even if it doesn't show up in search now, filing a lost report means you can be notified later.

1. Go to the Police Minwon24 lost-property service.

2. First search "Found Items" by item type, color, area, and estimated date.

3. Search tip: start broad (e.g., "wallet"), then narrow by color, brand, or station name if there are many results.

4. If nothing appears, file an online lost report (sign-up / identity check required).

5. When filing, consent to SMS/email notifications so you can be alerted if a similar item is turned in. Notification features and methods may change as the service is reorganized.

6. Once a holding location is confirmed, call there first to have it held, then visit with ID to collect it.

💡 Tip: Found items are transferred to the police over time. Even if your first search comes up empty, searching again a day or two later may show a newly registered item.

3. 🚇 If you lost it on the subway

Lead: The more you know about which station, what time, and which direction you got off, the faster it's found.

An item left on a train may be reported by another passenger or staff at an intermediate station, or found at the terminal station or during train inspection. So ask not only your exit station but also the next stations in the direction of travel and the terminal station, quickly.

• Checking your transit card (T-money, etc.) usage record helps estimate your boarding/exit stations and times. It won't directly identify the specific train's car number, though. Telling staff the time you got off, direction of travel, and where you were standing helps narrow down the train.

• If you can, remember the car number shown on the platform screen door, the position of the door you used, and the direction of travel.

• You'll need ID (passport, etc.) to collect it, and search LOST112/Police Minwon24 and call the center first before visiting.

Seoul Metro Lost & Found Centers (by line · accurate as of July 2026, subject to change):

• Seoul Metro centers generally operate weekdays 09:00–18:00, closed on weekends/holidays (subject to change).

• Sections run by Incheon Transit Corp. vs. Seoul Metro may differ, so check which operator runs the station where you lost it first. Some lines (e.g., Sinbundang) are operated separately.

4. 🚌 If you lost it on the bus

Lead: For buses, the key is pinning down the route number and the operating company.

• Remember the time, stop, and bus number (route) as best you can — you need this to trace which bus it was.

• Items usually gather at the relevant bus operator (depot). Find the company by route number and ask them, or search Police Minwon24 to see if it's registered.

• You can check your route and time from your transit card usage record (card company's app/website).

• If you're unsure who to contact, ask the regional bus operators' association or your city/province transport complaint center. The principle is the same for community and city buses: route → operator → then Police Minwon24.

5. 🚕 If you lost it in a taxi

Lead: The channel depends on how you took the taxi. If you booked via an app, it's mostly handled in the app.

• App-hailed taxis (Kakao T, T-money GO, etc.): In the app's "ride history" or "customer support," select the ride and file a lost-item inquiry. When and how you can reach the driver depends on the app's policy.

• Street-hailed taxis: Check the receipt for the vehicle number, phone, and business info. If you paid by card, ask your card company whether the payment approval record can help identify the taxi.

• If you have no information at all: Use Police Minwon24 found-item search together with the regional taxi association or city hall transport complaint center.

• If you left your phone behind, use "Find My" on another device to check its location and try calling/locking/messaging it. (Please also read the safety note in section 8.)

6. 🚄 If you lost it on a train (KTX·KORAIL·SRT)

Lead: Trains have well-connected customer centers and lost-item lookups. Remembering your train and seat number makes it much faster.

• KORAIL (KTX·ITX·regular trains): Customer center 1544-7788, the Korail Talk app, or a KORAIL lost-and-found center. You can look up items via Korail Talk or the website.

• SRT: Customer center 1800-1472. Lost-and-found centers operate at Suseo (02-6177-8245), Dongtan (031-328-9505), Pyeongtaek-Jije (031-646-8805), etc. (reference, subject to change).

• When reporting, give your travel date, train number, section, car & seat number, and item details. Most are on your ticket (booking record).

• By situation: right after getting off, tell station staff immediately; while on board, tell the crew/car manager right away. If you notice later, search first, then contact the customer center.

• The numbers above are for reference and may change — confirm the latest on the official KORAIL/SRT sites.

7. ✈️ If you lost it at the airport — the responsible party differs by location

Lead: At airports, the responsible agency depends on where you lost it. Asking the wrong place wastes time.

• Terminal / parking lot / transport center: Airport lost-and-found office

• Inside the aircraft (cabin): The airline

• Checked baggage: The airline's baggage service

• Airport railroad / airport bus: The respective operator

• Duty-free purchases / customs area: The duty-free shop or customs

Incheon Airport and others separately guide you to the responsible party for terminal items, in-cabin items, and airport rail/bus. For general stores (department stores, marts, cafés, restaurants), ask that store's information desk first; after a few days items may be transferred to police and registered on Police Minwon24, so search in parallel.

8. 🚨 If theft is suspected or your phone's location shows up (safety first)

Lead: A simple loss and a theft call for different responses. Safety comes first.

• Is it not just a loss, but possibly theft? If you saw someone take it or your card was used fraudulently, don't just wait on lost-item search — call 112 immediately. For non-urgent police matters, use 182.

• Even if your phone's location shows a house or a moving vehicle, do not go there to confront anyone — it can be dangerous. If theft is suspected, capture the location screen and device info, then report to the police.

9. 🌍 Help lines for foreigners with limited Korean

Lead: If handling it alone is hard, use interpretation/information lines.

• 1330 (Tourist Interpretation & Information) — A 24-hour multilingual (English, Japanese, Chinese, etc.) travel line run by the Korea Tourism Organization. By phone or chat, you can get guidance on who to contact and communication support. Note that it does not handle police reports or item-return procedures on your behalf. Dial 1330 within Korea (no area code).

• 120 (Dasan Call, Seoul) — Seoul's integrated call center, with foreign-language support. Outside Seoul, contact that city/province's official civil-service call center or tourist information office.

• 112 / 182 — 112 for emergencies/suspected crimes, 182 for general police/lost-item inquiries.

10. 💡 Practical tips to improve your chances (+ proving ownership)

Lead: A little preparation makes a big difference.

• Once you realize it's lost, search and report as fast as possible — the longer you wait, the harder it gets after transfers/processing.

• Prepare materials to prove the item is yours. For a phone, the IMEI/serial number; for a bag or wallet, contents, scratches, brand, or purchase photos — details only you would know help. Proxy or courier pickup may require extra documents such as a letter of authorization.

• Attaching your name/contact (business card, sticker) raises the odds it comes back.

• For your phone, turn on loss-prevention features (Find My, lock, contact display) in advance.

• For cards/bankbooks, freezing them immediately (to prevent misuse) matters more than recovering them.

• Keep screenshots of your route (stations, bus routes, taxi app history, train ticket) — it makes inquiries much smoother.

🛂 If you lost your passport (order of steps)

A passport is essential for travel/stay, so do these in parallel to be safe.

1. First, ask a nearby police station whether you can file a loss report and get a confirmation document.

2. Contact your country's embassy/consulate about a travel certificate or emergency passport.

3. If you have a visa or residence status, you may also need to contact immigration (Hi Korea, etc.).

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (for foreign visitors)

Q. I can't read Korean — can I still search found items? A. The site is mostly in Korean. Use your browser's translation, or search with Korean keywords (wallet = 지갑, passport = 여권, phone = 휴대폰). If stuck, get guidance from 1330 (tourist interpretation) or 120.

Q. I'm not sure exactly where I lost it. Can I still find it? A. Yes. Police Minwon24 searches found items nationwide, so try item type, color, rough area, and date. If it's not there now, search again in a few days.

Q. How many days are items kept? A. Stations, transport operators, and facilities generally hold items for a few days up to about 7 days, then may transfer them to the police, after which the Lost Property Act's police storage/processing procedures apply. Passports, cards, IDs, batteries, etc. may follow separate rules (e.g., Incheon Airport keeps cards/bankbooks/foreign IDs about 1 month, while power banks and similar may be discarded immediately). Differences by item are large, so don't rely on a single timeframe — ask the responsible agency right away.

Q. What do I need when I go to collect it? A. ID for identity check (passport, etc.), plus something showing it's yours (contents, serial number, purchase photo, etc.). Call ahead to confirm the item has arrived.

Q. Do I have to pay the finder a reward? A. Under the Lost Property Act, a finder may in principle request a reward of 5–20% of the item's value (reward under Korean law). However, this may not apply if the finder waived the right or a public agency found it. The amount is agreed between the parties, and disputes may be handled as civil matters. (The right to claim a reward may become hard to exercise after a certain period following the item's return.)

Q. I lost cash / a card / a bankbook. A. For cards/bankbooks, first report the loss to the card company/bank to freeze them (prevent misuse). For the wallet/cash itself, ask Police Minwon24 and the relevant transport service or place.

Q. I suspect theft. A. Don't just wait on lost-item search — report to 112 (emergency) or 182 (general) immediately. Even if the phone's location shows up, don't go confront anyone — capture the screen and tell the police.

Q. Can I check from abroad? A. The website is accessible from overseas. Items are sometimes found after you've flown home, so filing a report lets you receive alerts.

🗣️ Handy English/Korean phrases

• "I lost my bag on the subway. Where is the lost and found?" (지하철에서 가방을 잃어버렸어요. 유실물센터가 어디예요?)

• "Can you help me search for it on the police lost-and-found site?" (경찰 유실물 사이트에서 찾는 걸 도와주실 수 있나요?)

• "I got off at ○○ Station around 3 PM, heading toward ○○." (오후 3시쯤 ○○ 방향으로 ○○역에서 내렸어요.)

• "I left my phone in a taxi. Here is the app record / the receipt." (택시에 휴대폰을 두고 내렸어요. 여기 앱 기록/영수증이 있어요.)

• "Could you please hold it for me? I'll come to pick it up." (보관해 주실 수 있나요? 제가 찾으러 갈게요.)

• "Is there someone who can speak English?" (영어 하실 수 있는 분 계신가요?)

✅ Quick Checklist

• Noted the item, color, rough place/time, and direction of travel

• Saved your route (stations, bus route, taxi app, train ticket) as screenshots/notes

• Searched "Found Items" on Police Minwon24

• If not found, filed an online lost report and consented to SMS/email alerts

• Contacted the right party (subway center / bus company / taxi app / train center / airport·airline)

• Separately froze cards/bankbooks and locked your phone

• Reported to 112 (or 182) if theft is suspected

• Asked 1330 (tourist info) / 120 for help if Korean was difficult

• Called ahead to confirm arrival, and brought ID + ownership proof

• Searched again a day or two later

🟦 This guide was compiled by the JoyStoria team.

📅 As of: July 2026 · ⚠️ Fees, English support, information, operations, and storage practices may vary by season, agency, and branch.

JoyStoria does not endorse any particular business or agency. Before visiting or making inquiries, please confirm the latest information through each agency's official channels and a map app (Police Minwon24 / LOST112, subway operators, KORAIL·SRT, taxi apps/associations, airports·airlines, etc.). Lost-and-found search portals, storage periods, contact numbers, and procedures may change due to reorganization or circumstances, so for important items like IDs, cards, bankbooks, and passports, please also check with the relevant authorities (police, card companies, banks, embassies, immigration, etc.).