Record 1.17M Foreign Medical Tourists in Korea, But 77% Seek Cosmetic Procedures
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
South Korea welcomed a record 1.17 million foreign medical tourists in 2024, more than double the pre-pandemic 2019 figure. The surge is attributed to rising healthcare costs and aging populations in the US and Europe, plus Korea’s medical technology, competitive pricing, and K-culture appeal (K-컬처). Average spending per foreign patient was about $2,408, marking medical tourism as a high-value sector. However, growth is highly concentrated: 85.4% of patients went to Seoul and 77.3% sought skin and cosmetic (plastic surgery) procedures, while serious treatment areas like cancer and cardiac care have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Foreign patient satisfaction is high for clinical skill but low for foreign-patient services, convenience, and aftercare, indicating infrastructure gaps. Experts urge diversifying beyond beauty into core medical treatments and investing in regulations and regional wellness-linked recovery tourism to build sustainable, higher-quality medical tourism.
