South Korea attracted more than 2 million foreign medical tourists in 2025, according to a report released on Sunday (Aug. 24), reflecting growing global interest in the country's healthcare services.
The report, published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), showed that the total number of international patients treated at South Korean medical facilities last year reached 2,046,710 visits, a significant increase compared to previous years. The figure far exceeds the government's initial target of 1.5 million medical tourists by 2025.
Among them, visitors from Japan accounted for the largest share with 480,000 visits (23.5%), followed by visitors from the United States with 310,000 visits (15.2%) and China with 290,000 visits (14.2%). Emerging markets such as Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam also recorded strong growth, up 45%, 38%, and 32% respectively from 2024.
The most popular services among international visitors included cosmetic and plastic surgery (34.5%), dermatology (18.2%), comprehensive health checkups (15.7%), and treatment of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes (12.3%). The growth of wellness tourism, in which travelers combine sightseeing with medical care, also served as a key growth driver.
The South Korean government said it will continue efforts to enhance service quality, streamline administrative procedures, and boost promotion of the country's medical image in key markets, aiming to attract 3 million medical tourists by 2028.
