Concept · Medical Tourism
Medical Tourism Korea
Also known as: 한국 의료관광
Published Sep 14, 2026Updated Nov 12, 2026
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Definition
Medical tourism in Korea refers to travelling to South Korea to receive medical procedures such as dermatology, plastic surgery, health screening and regenerative treatments.
Quick answer
2025년 한국에 온 외국인 환자는 몇 명인가요?
보건복지부 발표 기준 2025년 외국인 환자는 실환자 201만 명, 연인원으로는 272만 명입니다. 2023년 약 61만 명, 2024년 약 117만 명에서 빠르게 늘어난 수치이며, 2009년 통계 작성 이후 누적은 706만 명입니다. 정부는 2025년 의료관광 총지출을 약 12조 5천억 원으로 추계했습니다.
Key facts
| Predicate | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis for registration and penalties | Act on Support for Overseas Expansion of Medical Services and Attraction of International Patients, Articles 6 (registration) and 28 (penalties) | [2]government외국인환자 유치기관 등록제도 안내Seoul Metropolitan Government |
| Registration requirement | Medical institutions and facilitators that attract foreign patients must register with the metropolitan or provincial government through the KHIDI Foreign Patient Attraction Information System; the review takes about 20 working days | [2]government외국인환자 유치기관 등록제도 안내Seoul Metropolitan Government |
| Penalty for recruiting without registration | Up to 3 years' imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 30 million | [2]government외국인환자 유치기관 등록제도 안내Seoul Metropolitan Government |
| Malpractice liability insurance | Registered institutions have had to carry medical malpractice liability insurance since 2016 | [3]governmentMedical Korea > ReliableKorea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) |
| Registered institutions and facilitators | 3,114 medical institutions and 1,927 facilitators (as of March 2025) registrations | [3]governmentMedical Korea > ReliableKorea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) |
| Foreign patients in 2025 | 2.01 million unique patients (2.72 million annual patient count); up from about 0.61 million in 2023 and 1.17 million in 2024 patientsas of Dec 31, 2025 | [4]government2025년 외국인 환자 유치 200만 돌파 아시아 의료관광 '중심국가' 도약 (press release)Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea |
| Total foreign patients since statistics began in 2009 | 7.06 million patientsas of Dec 31, 2025 | [4]government2025년 외국인 환자 유치 200만 돌파 아시아 의료관광 '중심국가' 도약 (press release)Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea |
| Most common specialty (2025) | Dermatology, 62.9% (1.313 million), followed by plastic surgery (11.2%) and internal medicine (9.2%) percentas of Dec 31, 2025 | [4]government2025년 외국인 환자 유치 200만 돌파 아시아 의료관광 '중심국가' 도약 (press release)Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea |
| Top countries of origin (2025) | China and Japan together 60.6%; then Taiwan (9.2%) and the United States (8.6%) percentas of Dec 31, 2025 | [4]government2025년 외국인 환자 유치 200만 돌파 아시아 의료관광 '중심국가' 도약 (press release)Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea |
| Share of patients treated in Seoul (2025) | 87.2% (1.76 million); clinic-level facilities handled 87.7% of patients percentas of Dec 31, 2025 | [4]government2025년 외국인 환자 유치 200만 돌파 아시아 의료관광 '중심국가' 도약 (press release)Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea |
| Estimated medical tourism spending (2025) | About KRW 12.5 trillion in total spending, a government estimate KRWas of Dec 31, 2025 | [4]government2025년 외국인 환자 유치 200만 돌파 아시아 의료관광 '중심국가' 도약 (press release)Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea |
| VAT refund for foreign tourists' cosmetic procedures | Expired on 31 December 2025; a bill to restore it until 31 December 2029 was introduced in 2026as of Aug 13, 2026 | [5]news외국인환자 미용성형 부가세 환급 특례 부활하나?병원신문 (Korean Hospital Association News) |
| Official portal | Medical Korea (KHIDI) lists registered hospitals and facilitators for international patients | [1]governmentMedical Korea — official medical tourism portal (KHIDI)Korea Health Industry Development Institute |
Overview
South Korea is a destination for international patients seeking dermatology, plastic surgery, dental care, health check-ups and other treatments. Patients should verify institutional registration for foreign patients and regulatory approval of any treatment offered. [Visitor statistics pending official source.]
References
Independent source ratio 100% (8/8)Level A · 6Level C · 1Level D · 1
- Level A · governmentMedical Korea — official medical tourism portal (KHIDI) — Korea Health Industry Development Institute · accessed Nov 12, 2026 · Evidence page
- Level A · government외국인환자 유치기관 등록제도 안내 — Seoul Metropolitan Government · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page
- Level A · governmentMedical Korea > Reliable — Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) · accessed Nov 10, 2026 · Evidence page
- Level A · government2025년 외국인 환자 유치 200만 돌파 아시아 의료관광 '중심국가' 도약 (press release) — Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea · accessed Nov 10, 2026 · Evidence page
- Level D · news외국인환자 미용성형 부가세 환급 특례 부활하나? — 병원신문 (Korean Hospital Association News) · accessed Nov 11, 2026 · Evidence page
- Level A · governmentMinistry of Food and Drug Safety — English site — MFDS, Republic of Korea · accessed Sep 22, 2026 · Evidence page
- Level C · organizationAbout Stem Cells — patient resource — International Society for Stem Cell Research · accessed Nov 12, 2026 · Evidence page
- Level A · governmentBreast enlargement (implants) — NHS (UK National Health Service) · accessed Nov 12, 2026 · Evidence page
Change history
Initial publication · Sep 14, 2026