The Ministry of Justice said Monday it would add 22 entities to the “Outstanding Facilitator for Foreign Patients” program on Oct. 1, which will then have 89 medical institutions and 23 private agencies.
The number outside the capital, the greater Seoul area, will increase from 14 to 22, it said.
The number of foreign patients topped two million for the first time last year, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
But medical tourism remains heavily concentrated in Seoul, which accounted for 87.2% of foreign patients last year, prompting the government to revise its certification criteria to encourage greater participation by provincial institutions, it added.
|
A patient undergoes a cosmetic treatment at a South Korean clinic. Photo by Pexels |
The justice ministry has lowered performance requirements for provincial institutions and introduced additional points for applicants outside the capital region in the application assessment, improving their chances of meeting the eligibility criteria.
Certified facilitators are entitled to simplified visa procedures, including three-day electronic visa processing, exemptions from certain financial-document requirements, and broader visa eligibility for accompanying caregivers, it said.
The number of C-3-3 short-term medical visas, which allow foreign patients to enter South Korea for medical treatment, issued through certified channels rose 40% year on year between October 2025 and August 2026, The Korea Times reported.
“By expanding certified facilitators, we aim to increase high-value medical tourists whose spending extends from treatment to lodging and retail,” acting Minister of Justice Lee Jin-soo said.
“We will actively develop visa policies that spread the economic dividends of medical tourism to provincial areas to support balanced national development.”
Dermatology and plastic surgery clinics remain among the most prominent specialty practices, reflecting strong international demand for K-beauty procedures.
Newswire Reuters reported in May that foreign visitors were increasingly traveling to South Korea for noninvasive treatments such as laser procedures, botox, and ultrasound skin lifting.
Provincial general hospitals and specialized clinics in areas such as Busan, Daegu, and South Jeolla Province will have greater opportunities to participate in medical tourism.
The new facilitator designations will be valid for one year.