Losing an item while traveling can quickly become stressful, especially when you are in a different country and preparing for your next flight. Luckily, the Lost and Found at Incheon International Airport (ICN) is set up to help travelers who have lost items. With helpful customer service desks in both terminals, an easy-to-follow lost reporting system, and several different ways to get their lost items back, passengers can work with their lost items better and have a less confusing experience during their trip.
So let us know everything about the ICN Airport’s Lost and Found in detail.
Who Manages Lost and Found at ICN?
ICN’s lost and found office handles various items lost or found at the airport. The Incheon International Airport Corporation and Incheon International Airport Police Corps currently run it.
That joint management structure is really important in a practical sense. The police corps is responsible for registering found items on the national portal. In contrast, the airport corporation manages the physical office and the daily operations of reuniting passengers with their items. Since both work in coordination, it means that there are two channels open to you when you are looking for something.
Lost and Found Office Locations and Contact Details at LCN
Visitors can easily spot dedicated Lost and Found counters at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 in Incheon International Airport (ICN), which can assist them in filing reports and finding their lost items.
Terminal 1
The Terminal 1 Lost and Found Office is situated on the B1 Floor of Terminal 1 and is available from 07:00 to 21:30 daily.
- Phone: 032-741-3110 / 032-741-3114
- Email Address: lostnfound@biz.airport.kr
Terminal 2
The Terminal 2 Lost and Found Office is located in the One-stop Public Service area on the 2nd Floor, Public Area, Terminal 2, and operates from 07:00 to 21:30, open year-round.
- Phone: 032-741-8988 / 032-741-8989
- Email: lostnfound2@biz.airport.kr
Both offices have the same opening hours: 07:00 to 21:30 every day. If you are reaching out to them after these hours, email will be the most effective way, as there will be no staff available by phone.
Lost and Found Process At ICN: Step by Step
Check out the scenarios below for a clearer insight:
If You’ve Lost Something Inside the Terminal
When you lose a belonging at the Incheon Airport (excluding items lost on an aircraft, the airport railroad, or an airport bus), you should inquire directly with the Lost and Found Office via email or phone.
You can also search for found items through the Police Civil Service 24 portal, the national system where registered found items are logged. If the item hasn’t been reported yet, contacting the office by email is the recommended approach.
Important: If you lost something on board an aircraft, on an airport bus, or on the airport railroad (AREX), the airport’s Lost and Found Office is not the right contact for those items. Each of those operators has its own lost-and-found process, and you’ll need to contact them separately.
If Something of Yours Is Found and Registered
Once a found item is registered, the owner must verify their lost belongings from the registered details. One can claim in person or by proxy. If you do not claim a lost item within six months, then the authorities will donate, sell, or dispose of it in accordance with the Lost Property Act.
When you claim in person, it is necessary to bring a photo ID and also know the reception number of the specific item. This is the number that lets the staff locate the item and check whether it belongs to you. If you don’t have it, the procedure will be longer, so it is worthwhile to visit the Police Civil Service 24 portal to confirm that the item is registered and note the relevant details before you show up at the office.
ICN Lost and Found Storage Periods Explained by Item Type
This is one of the most important things to know, because not all items are kept for the same amount of time, and some are disposed of much faster than you might expect.
Found items (excepting passports, food, mobile phones, and ID cards) will be kept for a maximum of six months; after three months, they will either be disposed of or transferred to the national treasury. Food items will be discarded on the same day or within 1 week.
Passports
The authorities will retain foreign passports for a month after retrieval and then send them to the relevant embassy.
Korean passports must be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Passport Service Office at Incheon Airport the day after discovery.
For Korean passports specifically, the airport adds a note: inquiries should go to the Passport Division of your city, county, or district office, or to the Consular Call Center at 02-3210-0404.
If you’ve lost a foreign passport at ICN, you have one month before it moves to your country’s embassy in Korea. That’s a tight window if you’ve already left South Korea. Contact the Lost and Found Office by email immediately.
Unreported Items and Their Storage Periods
Not all found items are registered on the national Police Civil Service 24 portal. The airport categorizes certain items as “unreported”, meaning they’re managed internally with their own, usually shorter, storage periods. Unreported items include hazardous items, items containing personal information, and items with a low possibility of return.
Here are the official storage periods for the unreported items:
| Item Category | Storage Timeline |
| ID cards (Student ID, foreign ID cards, etc.) | 1 month |
| Cards , Bankbooks | 1 month |
| Disposable e-cigarettes | Immediate disposal |
| E-cigarettes (non-disposable) | 1 month |
| Portable batteries | Immediate disposal |
| Liquid containers over 100ml / Cosmetics | 1 month |
| Pillowsm blankets, umbrellas, neck pillows | 1 month |
| Used tumblers, Water bottles, Thermoses, Lunch boxes | 1 month |
| Tools, Hazardous items | 1 month |
Two categories stand out: disposable e-cigarettes and portable batteries, which are disposed of immediately due to fire and safety risks. If you’ve left either of these at the airport, there’s no recovery window.
ICN Lost and Found Item Collection Process Explained
Passengers who lost their belongings at Incheon International Airport (ICN) can collect them personally or by their authorized proxy.
Claiming In Person
You have to arrive at the appropriate Lost and Found Office during the office hours (07:00-21:30) with:
- A valid photo ID
- The reception number for the registered item (check via Police Civil Service 24 or the airport’s Lost and Found search system)
If you receive it in person, you must bring your ID and check the reception number for the lost item.
Claiming by Proxy
If you can’t collect the item yourself, a proxy recipient can collect it on your behalf. The exact documentation required for proxy claims, such as a letter of authorization, should be confirmed directly with the office before sending someone, as requirements can vary by item type.
Contact the Lost and Found Office by phone or email to clarify what’s needed before the proxy visit.
Additional Lost and Found Handling Agencies at ICN
When an item is lost at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the procedure for regaining it varies with the location of the last sighting. The airport’s main office can’t be responsible for every case; knowing exactly who to contact can save you a lot of time.
- Lost on an Aircraft: If you forgot something in your seat or in your overhead bin, you will have to get in touch with the airline on your own. While Korean Air runs a separate email support center for lost-item recovery, Asiana Airlines has a dedicated team for baggage and cabin losses.
- Duty-Free and Boarding Areas: The type of item determines the proper authorities to hold the item. For example, general personal effects such as a passport, wallet, phone, or bags are directed to the main ICN Lost and Found Office. On the other hand, highly valuable items such as newly purchased alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or luxury goods are usually retained by the Customs Department.
- Terminal-Specific Customs: Regarding the customs-related issues, the location is indeed a key consideration. Passengers in Terminal 1 have to communicate with the Traveler Customs Clearance Division, whereas those in Terminal 2 have to get in touch with the customs office set up for the latter building.
- Transit and Transportation: Items lost during your commute to or from the airport aren’t kept by ICN. AREX (Airport Railroad), Airport Limousine, and KAL Limousine each run their own independent storage facilities.
- Regional Bus Services: If you were on a regional bus, you’d need to track down the specific private operator for that route, as they don’t share a centralized database with the airport.
Lost Baggage and Transportation Assistance at ICN
To help you navigate a missing item at Incheon International Airport (ICN), it is essential to understand that the recovery process is split between several different departments.
Here is a breakdown of who to contact based on where and what you lost:
- Baggage vs. Property: The central airport office does not take care of checked luggage. In case your suitcase is delayed, damaged, or lost, you must contact your airline directly. Each airline has its own compensation and tracing procedures.
- Arrival vs. Departure: If you arrived at a different airport and found out your bag was missing, do not call ICN. You should get in touch with the baggage service desk at your arrival location, since that is where the claim has to be filed.
- Customs and Bonded Goods: If you misplace new goods, for instance, duty-free alcohol, tobacco, or luxury items, such things are usually pointed out and flagged by Customs authorities. These are treated with separate sets of security measures from those used for lost wallets or phones.
How Can You Search for Lost Items Online at ICN Airport?
Incheon Airport’s official website and the national police portal both offer search tools for registered found items.
Two ways to search:
- Police Civil Service 24 Portal
- Incheon Airport’s own Lost and Found search
The Lost and Found Manager will upload the lost item information on the website. Passengers can check the list of registered items to confirm whether their item is registered.
If you can’t locate your item in either place, it may not have been registered yet, or it may be part of the unreported category managed internally. In that case, the most reliable next step is to contact the office by email directly.
What Should You Do if You Lose an Item Outside the ICN Terminal?
The airport’s Lost and Found Office handles items lost within the passenger terminal, concourses, transportation center, curbside, and parking areas. For anything outside those boundaries, you’ll need to contact the relevant operator directly:
- Lost on an aircraft — contact your airline.
- Lost on an airport bus — contact the bus operator.
- Lost on the Airport Railroad (AREX) — contact AREX directly
If you lose an item on board an aircraft, airport bus, or airport train, please inquire with the appropriate agency.
The airport’s office can’t help with items lost outside its jurisdiction, so contacting the right organization from the start saves time.
Conclusion
Traveling is even more troublesome when you misplace your personal belongings. However, the Lost and Found department at Incheon International Airport (ICN) has an excellent system that helps most passengers quickly find their lost items. Both Lost and Found counters are open every day from 07:00 to 21:30. Generally, most items are kept for 6 months. However, some specific items, such as passports, food, batteries, and disposable e-cigarettes, may be stored for shorter periods.
If you’ve lost something, the first step is to check the Police Civil Service 24 portal or contact the relevant terminal office by email or phone. If someone else found your item, use the portal registration to track it down. And if the item was left on a plane, bus, or the AREX train, go directly to the operator, not the airport’s Lost and Found.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 Lost and Found Offices operate from 07:00 to 21:30, open year-round. Terminal 1 is on the B1 Floor of Terminal 1, and Terminal 2’s office is in the one-stop public service area on the 2nd Floor, Public Area.
Items that are retrieved (excluding mobile phones, food, ID cards, and so on) will be kept for six months. After three months the items will be transferred to the national treasury or disposed of. Food items will be disposed of on the same day or within a week at the most.
You must bring a valid photo identification proof and know the lost item’s reception number. The reception number can be obtained by checking the item’s registration on the Police Civil Service 24 portal or by using the airport’s Lost and Found search system.
No. If you lose an item on board an aircraft, airport bus, or airport railroad, please inquire with the appropriate agency. The airport’s Lost and Found Office only covers items lost within the passenger terminal, concourses, transportation center, curbside, and parking areas.
You can search online through two channels. The first is the Police Civil Service 24 portal, where registered found items from ICN are uploaded by the Lost and Found Office staff.