Korea attracted 1.17 million foreign medical tourists last year

Tourists walk around Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, March 10. Yonhap

Approximately 1.17 million foreign patients visited Korea last year to receive medical treatments, the highest number since Seoul launched its medical tourism initiative in 2009, reinforcing the country’s push to become a leading health care destination in Asia.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Wednesday that the surge in the number of East Asian tourists drawn to Korea's cosmetic medical services was particularly striking. The number of visitors from Taiwan, China and Japan seeking cosmetic medical treatments in Korea last year more than doubled compared to 2023, with approximately 67,000 from Taiwan, 172,000 from China and 308,000 from Japan.

Korea has been ranked the leading country in the beauty industry among 19 competitors, highlighting the strong global demand for its products and services, according to last year's survey by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

Japan and China ranked first and second among 202 countries of origin for foreign patients, accounting for 37.7 percent and 22.3 percent, respectively. The ministry noted that Japanese and Chinese patients are driving a growing trend of medical travel for dermatological procedures such as lasers, fillers and Botox, drawn by Korea’s competitive pricing. It added that demand for these treatments has remained strong since 2023, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of North American patients visiting Korea reached its highest level since 2009. U.S. patient numbers grew by 32.2 percent to 102,000, while Canada saw a 58.3 percent increase, reaching 15,000.

While dermatology treatments accounted for 56.6 percent of all medical procedures, with 705,000 cases — the highest among all specialties — the ministry emphasized its commitment to attracting foreign patients to other medical fields as well.

"We are promoting Korea’s top-tier medical system and supporting institutions in expanding overseas. Renowned for excellence in cancer treatment, cardiology, infertility care, rehabilitation and dentistry, we highlight these strengths through events like Medical Korea," a ministry official told reporters.

The ministry's latest data from 2023 revealed that foreign patients' medical and health care spending — analyzed through card transaction data — totaled approximately 3.9 trillion won ($2.66 billion), contributing an estimated 6.9 trillion won to economic output.

According to market research firm Precedence Research, the global medical tourism market is valued at $43.51 billion this year and is projected to reach $252.94 billion by 2034.

"We plan to expand support and continuously refine laws and regulations to foster a sustainable ecosystem," the ministry said.