Medical Korea Information Center for Foreign Patients

Relocated to Seoul Station

- A ceremony was held to award recognition to Bundang Jesaeng Hospital and Ain Hospital as certified medical institutions for serving foreign patients -

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, Minister Cho KyooHong) and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI, President Cha SoonDo) announced on Tuesday, January 21 at 10:30 a.m. the relocation and reopening of the Medical Korea Support Center (Seoul) within Seoul Station.

* (Address) B2, Airport Railroad Seoul Station, 378 Cheongpa-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (Previously located in Jongno-gu)

Since 2016, MOHW and KHIDI have been operating the Medical Korea Information Centers in Seoul and Incheon. These centers serve as comprehensive hubs designed to enhance foreign patients' satisfaction with Korean medical services by providing essential services such as counseling, interpretation, and legal support.

The number of foreign patients* visiting Korea has been steadily increasing, surpassing 600,000 in 2023**. To enhance accessibility for foreign patients visiting Korea, the center has been relocated from Jongno to Seoul station.

* The actual number of individuals who received treatment at medical institutions, excluding duplicate counts from multiple visits

** 500,000 in 2019 → 150,000 in 2021 → 250,000 in 2022 → 600,000 in 2023

The newly relocated Medical Korea Information Center (Seoul) will serve as a central platform for foreign patients to address various needs. Patients can visit the center in person or call (Medical Call at 1577-7129) to receive medical service consultations in English, Chinese, Japanese, or Russian. Available services include guidance on selecting medical institutions, appointment bookings, connections to medical interpreters for multilingual services, reporting illegal foreign patient recruitment activities, and assistance with VAT refunds for cosmetic and plastic surgery services.

Additionally, the center offers a one-stop medical dispute consultation service for foreign patients using Korean medical services, providing support from initial dispute counseling to assistance with submissions to the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency.

During the opening event, ceremony was held to newly award recognition to Bundang Jesaeng Hospital and Ain Hospital as certified medical institutions for serving foreign patients. The Minister of Health and Welfare evaluates medical institutions serving foreign patients and grants certification to those demonstrating excellence in this field.

* 15 institutions have been granted certification as of January 2025

Jung Eun-young, Director-General at MOHW, stated during the relocation ceremony, "We expect more foreign patients to visit Korea to access our medical services. The government will continue working to enhance convenience and satisfaction for foreign patients in response to this growing trend."

Cha SoonDo, President of KHIDI, remarked, "The relocation of the Seoul Center to Seoul Station was aimed at improving accessibility for foreign patients seeking Korean medical services. We remain committed to providing comprehensive support throughout their medical journey to ensure a seamless experience." ///