What emergency supplies does South Korea recommend?

Short answer. South Korea's Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) asks households to pack a survival backpack with bottled water, ready-to-eat food, a torch, medicines, a battery radio, hygiene items, a raincoat, a blanket, a gas mask and face masks, but gives no quantities or duration ¹. Local governments add detail: Geumcheon-gu in Seoul advises food for 15 to 30 days per household for wartime ³.

How many days of supplies does South Korea recommend?

There is no national figure. The 2024 MOIS Emergency Action Guide lists what to pack, not how much or for how long ¹. The most precise official number we found comes from a district: Geumcheon-gu's wartime guide advises staple food for 15 to 30 days per household, with an "appropriate amount" of processed food such as instant noodles and canned food ³.

This is a district recommendation, not a national rule. For a general reference on kits, see what goes in a 72-hour kit.

What goes in the survival backpack?

The 2024 MOIS booklet lists ¹:

생수, 간편식, 손전등, 상비약, 라디오(건전지), 화장지(물티슈), 우의, 담요, 방독면, 마스크, 고무장갑, 장화, 비닐봉투 등

In English: bottled water, ready-to-eat food, a torch, household medicines, a radio with batteries, toilet paper or wet wipes, a raincoat, a blanket, a gas mask, a face mask, rubber gloves, rubber boots and plastic bags ¹. The "등" (etc.) at the end means the list is indicative. The full line-by-line checklist is on the kit page.

What does Seoul add?

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's emergency planning office adds two short lists ²:

• Home first aid: disinfectant, fever and pain reliever, digestive medicine, scissors, bandages and plasters.
• CBRN kit (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear): a gas mask or a wet towel, a dust mask, a long hooded top, rubber gloves, soap and detergent (no bleach), and aluminium tape to seal window and door frames.

For what to do with them, see our guides on sheltering in place during a chemical release and radiation decontamination.

What does the Geumcheon-gu wartime guide list?

Beyond food, the district lists ³:

• Cooking gear: mess kit, burner, butane gas.
• Bedding and clothing: blankets, clothes.
• Other: radio, backpack, mobile phone, portable lamp, candles, matches or lighter, soap, salt.

No quantities are given for these items ³. If you cook with a portable burner, read cooking without power and generator and carbon monoxide safety first.

How much water should I store?

The Korean lists name bottled water but set no amount per person ¹. For public supply, MOIS says civil defence emergency water facilities are meant to supply residents with 25 litres of basic water a day until the mains are restored ⁴. That is a supply target for public facilities, not a home-storage rule. For a household reference, see how much water to store per person and how to purify water.

Frequently asked questions

Does South Korea tell households to keep a gas mask?

Yes. A gas mask appears in the 2024 MOIS booklet list ¹, and Seoul's CBRN list says a gas mask or a wet towel ².

Is there an official number of days to prepare for?

Not at national level ¹. Geumcheon-gu advises 15 to 30 days of food per household for wartime ³.

Why does the Seoul list say no bleach?

Seoul's CBRN list specifies soap and detergent, not bleach ². The page does not give the reason, so we do not add one.

Where do I check my supplies against the list?

Use the kit checklist, and rotate food using emergency food shelf life.

Sources

1. 행정안전부, hosted by 서울특별시 안전 누리집 — 2024 비상시 국민행동요령(소책자) — https://news.seoul.go.kr/safe/files/2024/04/661dce8627df07.82952000.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. 서울특별시 (Seoul Metropolitan Government), 비상기획관 — 비상대비물품 확인 — https://news.seoul.go.kr/safe/archives/513997 (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. 금천구청 (Geumcheon-gu Office, Seoul) — 전시국민행동요령 — https://www.geumcheon.go.kr/portal/contents.do?key=580 (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. 행정안전부 (Ministry of the Interior and Safety) — 민방위 제도 운영 — https://mois.go.kr/frt/sub/a06/b12/civildefensework/screen.do (accessed 2026-10-20)