South Korea has been considered a medical tourism destination since 2009, attracting more than 2.76 million foreign patients between then and 2019.
The number of foreign patients who visited Korea to seek medical help for cosmetic purposes rose to 464,452 in 2018, an increase of 16.7% from 397,882 in 2017.
For example, in 2013, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital paid the total cost of reconstructive surgery for Neru Gui, a Mongolian boy, who did not have a nose.
[12] Koreans receive free medical checks covered by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).
[18] After the Act Supporting the Overseas Expansion of Medical Services and Attraction of International Patients (Presidential Decree No.
If an unregistered hospital attempts to attract foreign patients without a certificate of registration, it will face up to three years in prison and a 30 million won fine.
Another regulation for improving healthcare quality in Korea is the Korean Accreditation Program for Hospitals serving Foreign patients (KAHF),[27] implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
[28] The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced regulations in 2016 to punish illegal brokers who bring in foreign patients and demand high fees.
[30] In addition, hospitals registered with the Ministry of Health and Welfare as medical institutions are eligible to give international patients a 10% VAT refund when they receive cosmetic procedures.