The Ministry of Health and Welfare on April 24 said the number of foreign patients who visited the country for treatment last year reached 248,000, up 70% from 2021.
The number of medical tourists from abroad has steadily risen since 2009, peaking at 497,000 in 2019.
Such patients came from 192 countries last year. By nationality, Americans led the group with 17.8%, followed by Chinese with 17.7%, Japanese 8.8%, Thai 8.2% and Vietnamese 5.9%.
The number of American patients jumped 52.6% and that of Chinese 56.8%. The figure for Japanese visitors to plastic surgery and dermatology clinics in Korea also jumped more than six-fold in a year.
By medical sector, integrated internal medicine including general internal and family medicine and infectious disease attracted the most foreign patients with 22.3%, followed by plastic surgery with 15.8%, dermatology 12.3% and physical check-ups 6.6%. The number of foreign patients visiting dermatology clinics ballooned 201% and that of those seeking plastic surgery 177.7%.
The ministry said, "The rise in the number of patients going to plastic surgery and dermatology clinics is considered the main factor behind the increase in the number of foreign patients."
"The business of attracting foreign patients has high growth potential due to rising global demand for medical care and is a crucial field that raises the nation's status and adds value to other industries such as tourism," said Jung Eun-young, director-general of the ministry's Health Industry Bureau.
"Based on the high global competitiveness of Korean health care, we will keep up efforts to make the country the medical tourism hub of Asia."
