South Korea Welcomes Over a Million Foreign Patients in Record Year

Last year, South Korea saw an unprecedented influx of foreign patients, with numbers exceeding 1 million for the first time since the inception of its medical tourism initiative. The total expenditure by these visitors and their companions reached a staggering 7.5039 trillion won, marking a significant milestone in the country's health industry.

Global Patients Flock to Korean Clinics

Patients from 202 countries visited Korea, with Japan leading the pack at 441,000, followed by China, the United States, Taiwan, and Thailand. Notably, Japan and Taiwan experienced explosive growth rates of 135% and 550%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Top the List

Dermatology clinics accounted for 56.6% of all foreign patients, with 705,000 visitors, a 194.9% increase from the previous year. Plastic surgery and integrated internal medicine followed, with traditional Korean medicine also seeing an 84.6% growth, indicating a diverse range of medical interests among visitors.

Seoul Dominates, But Regional Growth Shows Promise

While Seoul attracted about 85.4% of the total foreign patients, regions like Busan and Jeju recorded impressive growth rates of 133.6% and 221.0%, respectively, showcasing their potential as emerging medical tourism destinations.

K-Medical: A New Era of Tourism

The growth rate of foreign patients is surpassing the recovery of inbound tourists, with K-medical, combining K-beauty and K-healthcare, emerging as a key attraction. Han Dong-woo of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute emphasized the importance of service quality and medical reliability for sustainable growth.