A 63-year-old Mongolian man underwent a liver transplant at Seoul Asan Medical Center in January. Diagnosed with hepatitis D in 2022, his condition worsened, making a transplant necessary. He recovered after receiving a liver donated by his son. A five-year-old Russian boy, diagnosed with malignant brain tumor, received proton therapy at Samsung Medical Center last December. Despite radiation treatment in Russia, his condition did not improve, prompting the family to seek care in South Korea.
Last year, 1.17 million foreign patients visited South Korea, nearly doubling the 610,000 recorded in 2023 and a 140% increase from 490,000 in 2019 before COVID-19. The rise is mainly driven by Japanese and Chinese patients seeking dermatology and cosmetic treatments, but essential medical fields like internal medicine are also seeing growth. Medical experts predict foreign patient numbers could reach 1.5 million this year, with steady increases from third countries beyond Japan and China, and growing demand in departments beyond dermatology.
Spending by foreign patients has surged accordingly. According to the Korea Tourism Organization’s data, foreign medical expenditures from January to May this year reached 714.5 billion won, up 74.9% from 408.4 billion won in the same period last year. Payment transactions rose 50.5% from 991,057 to 1,492,354, and average spending per transaction grew 16% from 412,000 won to 478,000 won. A medical official attributed this growth to the global popularity of K-pop and Korean culture, which has extended to Korean medical services.
Mongolia and Russia have drawn particular attention in the medical field. Mongolian patients numbered 17,918 in 2019 but dipped during the pandemic, then surged to a record 25,731 last year. Russian patient numbers dropped from 29,897 in 2019 to the 6,000 range during 2020-2021 but climbed back to 16,622 last year. Despite the Russia-Ukraine war, the increase in Russian patients visiting South Korea remains clear.
By specialty, Mongolian and Russian patients primarily seek internal medicine, an essential field. In contrast, Japanese and Chinese patients mostly visit dermatology and plastic surgery, often combining treatments with tourism. Mongolian and Russian patients tend to visit South Korea for severe illnesses like advanced cancer or organ transplants, conditions difficult to treat locally. Korean hospitals’ advanced technology and infrastructure attract these patients. A general hospital official noted that before COVID-19, most foreign patients sought health check-ups or cosmetic procedures, but since 2023, the number of severe cases has grown. An official from one of the Big Five hospitals said, “It’s not only wealthy patients choosing Korean medical tourism. Some sell homes or raise donations just to get proper treatment.”
South Korean hospitals have earned high marks globally. Recently, nine Korean hospitals ranked first in six of nine categories in Newsweek’s 2025 Asia-Pacific Best Specialized Hospitals list, excelling in essential fields like cancer, cardiology, and endocrinology. A Seoul university hospital official explained that foreign patients focus on medical quality and service when choosing overseas treatment. Some Russian patients who initially considered Turkey or Israel switch to South Korea after evaluating treatment success rates.
As Mongolian and Russian patient numbers rise, hospitals are expanding dedicated coordinators who handle appointment scheduling, airport pick-ups, interpretation, and care management for foreign patients. All Big Five hospitals have coordinators for Mongolian and Russian patients, and many other medical institutions are increasing their staff to support this growing demand.
By  Oh Kyung-muk,
Kim Seo-young

Published Date:2025-06-24