Overview
South Korean healthcare is a universally insured system. The medical societies were
merged into the National Health Insurance Corporation at the beginning of the 21st
century, and nearly all citizens and legal residents of South Korea are beneficiaries of
the program. This insurance system is funded by contributions, government subsidies,
and heavily taxed tobacco sales, although the government institution providing it is still
running it at a huge deficit. South Korea has built its reputation on the high-tech corridor,
among other things, so it makes sense that South Korea would leverage superior
medical and surgery tech to market its medical tourism sector. It is estimated to hold
one-quarter of the market share on cosmetic work. South Korea’s medical tourism
sector is continuously regulated and promoted through a public private partnership and
the support of the Korean Tourism Organization, as well as through its strategic
promotion offices located abroad. It regularly hosts global events, familiarization tours,
trade missions, and physician exchange programs that not only generate patient
referrals but keep the reputation of South Korea as a leading medical tourism
destination strong.
South Korea’s strength as an MTI destination lies in its technology and care. It ranks sixth in Patient Experience and seventh in Quality of Care, painting the picture of a destination that understands how to treat the travelers it is fortunate enough to attract.
*Based on the 2020 – 2021 Global MTI (Medical Tourism Index) Report published by the Medical Tourism Association.*
South Korea’s strength as an MTI destination lies in its technology and care. It ranks sixth in Patient Experience and seventh in Quality of Care, painting the picture of a destination that understands how to treat the travelers it is fortunate enough to attract.
*Based on the 2020 – 2021 Global MTI (Medical Tourism Index) Report published by the Medical Tourism Association.*