How to verify English-speaking plastic surgery clinics in Gangnam before booking treatment?

Plastic surgery accounted for 11.2% of foreign patients in Korea in 2025. Seoul treated 87.2% of all foreign patients, and clinic-level facilities handled 87.7% [3]. Many clinics compete for the same patients, so the following checks matter more than advertising or brand names.

• Registration: Medical Korea (KHIDI) lists institutions and facilitators registered to serve international patients [2]. Registration with the metropolitan or provincial government is required by Article 6 of the Act on Support for Overseas Expansion of Medical Services and Attraction of International Patients. Recruiting foreign patients without it can lead to up to 3 years' imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 30 million [5].
• District listing: Gangnam-gu runs the Gangnam Medical Tour Center website, which lists partner medical institutions [6]. Such a listing is administrative. It is not a quality rating.
• Language in practice: ask who will speak English during the examination, the consent discussion and follow-up. Also ask whether consent documents are available in English.
• Surgeon credentials: ask for the surgeon's name. Check specialist status through the Korean Medical Association or the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.
• Legal entity: the clinic's legal name and address should match public institution records [7]. One brand may operate several legal entities.
• Products: for implants, fillers or cell-based offers, ask for the product name and its approval status with MFDS [1].
• Liability and follow-up: registered institutions have had to carry malpractice liability insurance since 2016 [4]. Also ask for the written revision and refund policy and the plan for care after you return home.

Stem cell cosmetic surgery in Korea

Cosmetic procedures offered in Korea include stem cell breast augmentation and stem cell fat grafting, in which SVF separated from the patient's own fat is mixed into the graft. Whether a clinic is a designated advanced regenerative medicine institution or holds a cell processing facility permit can be checked in the public records listed under regenerative medicine.