Medical tourism in South Korea - statistics & facts
Prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, record numbers of medical tourists from 190 countries visited South Korea. As of 2023, patient numbers have not just returned to pre-pandemic figures, but actually exceeded them, marking a new record for the country. Among them, visitors from Japan and China accounted for almost half of international patients coming to South Korea. A decade ago, the U.S. and Japan accounted for about half, but the nationality distribution of patients is becoming more and more diverse. In fact, the number of patients from Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam as well as northern countries, including Mongolia and Kazakhstan, has been steadily increasing. In contrast, patients from Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates, slightly decreased recently.
The most visited medical department among foreign patients in Korea was the dermatology department, followed by plastic surgery, and internal medicine. The preferred medical treatments to receive in Korea differ from patients' region of origin. Patients from Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Thailand mostly visited Korea for cosmetic purposes such as plastic surgery and dermatology. With the surge in popularity of K-beauty and Korean singers and actors, this aligns with the impact of the Korean Wave ("hallyu") on the tourism sector in Korea. On the other hand, many visitors from the United States, Russia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan visited Korea for non-cosmetic treatment purposes, such as visiting an internal medicine practice or health checkup center.
Prior to the pandemic, more than half of the patients who visited South Korea for medical treatment also enjoyed its additional tourism offers. Most visitors simply enjoyed shopping or city tours, while others visited historical sites and enjoyed its nature and scenery. Medical tourists' per capita spending on medical services lay at an average of around 6.5 thousand U.S. dollars, with drastic differences in expenditure depending on their country of origin. Overall, they were highly satisfied with the experience of medical services in Korea, and they were willing to revisit for medical treatment or recommend it to others.