Korea Attracts 1.17 Million Foreign Patients in 2024

Korea Attracts 1.17 Million Foreign Patients in 2024

Marking a Leap Toward Becoming Asia’s Medical Tourism Hub

-Record number of foreign patients since 2009, with a cumulative total of 5.05 million -

- Significant increases in visitors from Japan (135.0%), China (132.4%), and Taiwan (550.6%) compared to 2023 -

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, Minister Cho KyooHong)announced that a record-breaking 1.17 million foreign patients visited Korea in 2024, marking an increase of approximately 93.2%—nearly double the 610,000 recorded in 2023.

The number of foreign patients had steadily increased through 2019 (with an average annual growth rate of 23.5%), but dropped sharply to 120,000 in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After three years of gradual recovery, the number rose to 610,000 in 2023 and then surged to 1.17 million in 2024.

This marks the highest figure since Korea actively began attracting foreign patients in 2009. The cumulative number of foreign patients who have visited Korea over the past 16 years now stands at 5.05 million.

By country, the largest numbers of foreign patients came from Japan, China, the United States, Thailand, and Taiwan, in that order.Taiwan(550.6%),Japan(135.0%), and China(132.4%) showed the most significant growth. By medical specialty,dermatology, plastic surgery, internal medicine/general care, and health screening services were the most commonly used. By type of medical institution,clinics accounted for the largest share at 82.0%. Regionally, the Seoul metropolitan area continued to dominate, accounting for 8 5.4%of all foreign patients.

The year 2024 marks a significant milestone, as the number of foreign patients visiting Korea surpassed one million for the first time—signifying Korea’s emergence as a key hub for medical tourism in Asia.

Jung Eunyoung, Director-General for Health Industry Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare,said, “Thanks to the Strategy to Facilitate Attraction of International Patients announced in May 2023, we were able to achieve―ahead of schedule―the government’s original goal of attracting 700,000 foreign patients by 2027.” She added, “The foreign patient attraction program is a high-value industry that combines medical services and tourism. The government will continue to expand support and reform relevant laws and systems to enhance their effectiveness, there by fostering a sustainable industry ecosystem.”