보건복지부 영문홈페이지

More Than 600,000 International Patients Visited Korea in 2023, Spurring its Growth as a Medical Tourism Hub in Asia

- The largest number since counting began in 2009,

bringing the aggregate number of international patients to 3.88 million -

- Patients from Japan and Taiwan showed the largest growth rates

from 2022 (762.8% and 866.7%, respectively) -

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, Minister Cho KyooHong) announced that 606,000 foreign patients visited Korea in 2023, achieving a 2.4 times growth (144.2%) from 248,000 in 2022.

This represents a 1.2 fold increase over the record set in 2019 (497,000), which had the highest number of international patients before the COVID-19 pandemic, and is the highest figure since 2009, when the country began tracking foreign patient arrivals.

International patient arrivals had been growing at a steady pace between 2009 and 2019 (annual average growth rate 23.5%), before dropping sharply to 120,000 in 2020 due to the pandemic. The yearly number of arrivals increased over the last three years and reached 606,000 in 2023, bringing the aggregate number of international patients visiting Korea to 3.88 million.

By country, the largest number of patients came from Japan, followed by China, the United States, Thailand, and Mongolia, and Japan and Taiwan recorded the largest growth rates (762.8% and 866.7%, respectively). By medical department, dermatology welcomed the largest number of international patients, followed by plastic surgery, integrated internal medicine, and general checkups. By type of medical institution, 66.5% of the patients visited clinics. By region, the Seoul Capital Area continued to account for the largest percentage at 88.9%.

Director General Jung Eun-young of the Bureau of Health Industry, MOHW, said, “To increase the number of international patient arrivals after its sharp drop during the pandemic, we have been implementing the Strategy for Vitalizing International Patient Attraction for advancing Korean healthcare into a new era of global recognition since its announcement in May 2023. We plan to continue expanding support, improving unreasonable regulations, and revising systems to attract 700,000 foreign patients annually by 2027 and leap forward as a medical tourism hub in Asia.”

She also emphasized, “We will also conduct continuous monitoring to ensure that the attraction of foreign patients does not lead to a shortage of medical supplies for our citizens.”///