South Korea

Seoul skyline

Like many Asian nations, South Korea has developed economically and culturally far more quickly than the average American may realize. After many years of postwar governmental strife, Korea launched one of the planet’s fastest growing economies—now the third largest economy in Asia (behind Japan and China) and the eleventh largest in the world.

Korea is also one of the world’s most technologically and scientifically advanced countries; it’s the only one in the world with nationwide 100 Mbit/s broadband Internet access and full HDTV broadcasting. Ninety percent of all Korean homes are connected to high-speed broadband Internet. A bullet train network zips travelers around the country at speeds exceeding 220 kilometers (130 miles) an hour. Hyundai and Samsung are located here, a reminder of Korea’s formidable ability to compete in major industry sectors.

Korea's Healthcare and Medical Tourism

Healthcare is no exception, and Korea’s star as a health travel destination is rapidly rising. While language and cultural barriers persist, Korea boasts a network of 20 modern international hospitals, including Severance Hospital, the world’s largest JCI-accredited hospital, with more than 2,000 beds.

The Korean penchant for technology is revealed in its hospitals, where most are fully digitized and electronic health records are the rule. Visitors can even watch their granny’s colonoscopy on a television monitor in the hospital lobby (optional!).

Korea’s foray into medical tourism began with service to Japanese patients, and despite a sometimes uneasy political relationship between the two countries, patients flock from Japan to take advantage of the huge cost savings and excellent care Korea has to offer. The Korean government has initiated a set of measures to promote medical tourism by aiding hospitals in their marketing and by easing regulations. The government is also pushing to simplify the process of issuing visas for overseas patients, especially those from Asian nations.

Herbal to High-Tech: A Broad Offering of Care

In addition to the usual range of general surgeries, Korea’s hospitals and clinics are known for cosmetic surgeries and treatments for spinal disorders and cancer. In the center of the country, Daegu hosts the most famous herbal medicine market in South Korea, dating from 1658. On the southern coast, Busan is one of Asia’s seashore hot spots, where medical travelers flock to Hanyang University Medical Center for its low-cost comprehensive health screenings. Medical travelers who react adversely to the heat and humidity of Southeast Asia will find Korea’s northern mountainous climate more to their liking. And Korea Airlines offers nonstops from at least a dozen US and Canadian cities; its northern geography shortens flights to a long, but manageable, 11–14 hours.