Korean address numbers offer clues to a building’s location

Building numbers in Korea’s road-name address system are not simply assigned at random. They can help you work out roughly how far along a road a building is and which side it is on.

HOW IT WORKS

Numbers are based on 20-meter intervals from the road’s starting point. In the direction the road runs, odd numbers are on the left and even numbers on the right.

WHY THAT HELPS

Larger numbers generally mean you are farther from the starting point. Odd and even numbers also indicate which side of the road to look on.

TRAVEL TIP

Check the road name as well as the building number. Following the numbers along the same road can help you judge whether you are getting closer to your destination.

Sources & context

2026-09-18