South Korea
Helplines and statutory routes for South Korea, home to several internationally significant high-control religious movements (Shincheonji, Unification Church, JMS, Salvation Sect, others).
South Korea is the country of origin of several of the highest-CLCI movements in the dataset. The 2020 Daegu COVID-19 cluster, the 2014 Sewol ferry / Salvation Sect investigation, and the ongoing JMS and FFWPU proceedings have produced substantial public-record material.
Public helpline provision for cult-specific concerns is more limited than in Western jurisdictions; the Korea Institute of Religion (kirf.or.kr) and CARM Korea are among the recognised non-government information sources. Cult-recovery clinical literature in Korean is developing.
If you are in immediate danger
- Emergency services· 24/7112 (police) / 119 (ambulance, fire)Police: 112. Ambulance and fire: 119.
What situation are you in?
If you are worried about someone in a high-control group
Sustain low-pressure contact. Learn the specific group. Avoid confrontation. Position yourself as a soft landing. The /guides/what-to-do-if-loved-one-joined-a-cult guide covers the long version. Loved-one guide →
If you are inside a high-control group
Talk to a single trusted person outside the group. Open a group-invisible communication channel. Begin mapping financial, housing, and employment dependencies. The leaving guide has the longer version. Leaving guide →
If you recently left
Give yourself a long enough horizon for recovery. Religious-trauma-aware therapy materially helps. Build ordinary relationships outside the tradition. Rebuild-identity guide →
If children are involved
Children's situations are not adult-exit-planning. Statutory child-safeguarding helplines and family-law specialists are the appropriate route. Children guide →
If money, documents, or housing are controlled
Document control overlaps with trafficking and domestic-abuse frameworks. The specialist helplines listed on this page are the right first call. Document-control guide →
Domestic abuse and coercive control
- Women's Emergency Hotline (1366)· 24/71366 Website24/7 women's emergency consultation line. Korean-language; multilingual support varies by region.
Child safeguarding
- Child Abuse Hotline112Child abuse reports route via the general police emergency line. Specialist Child Protection Agencies operate by region (https://korea1391.go.kr).
Mental-health crisis
- Suicide & Crisis Helpline· 24/71393National suicide-prevention helpline.
- Lifeline Korea1588-9191 WebsiteVolunteer-staffed crisis listening line.
Public English-language information on Korea-specific cult-recovery resources is limited. Korean-language survivor and advocacy networks exist (notably around ex-Shincheonji and ex-JMS communities); the international networks (ICSA, Freedom of Mind) sometimes have Korea-based members.
Printable quick-reference checklist
- If immediate danger: 112 (police) or 119 (ambulance).
- Domestic violence: Women's Emergency Hotline 1366.
- Children at risk: 112; regional Child Protection Agencies via korea1391.go.kr.
- Suicide / mental-health crisis: 1393 or Lifeline Korea 1588-9191.
- Cult-specific support: route via international networks or local Korean-language survivor networks where Korean-language access is available.
This page is educational and not legal, medical, or clinical advice. CLCI Hub does not endorse or vouch for any specific service. See the Legal Disclaimer for the full statement. Found a helpline that has changed? Submit a correction.