According to our new research report, "Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea", advanced technology used for the treatment and the government initiatives are likely to fuel growth in the South Korean medical tourism industry. Despite the gloomy outlook for the world economy, the medical tourism industry in South Korea witnessed an impressive growth of more than 55% in 2008 over the previous year.

An increase in the number of medical tourists in South Korea is mainly accredited to the advanced technology used by the hospitals for the treatment of patients, says RNCOS report. Hospitals are equipped with the highly advanced technology for the treatment of cardiac, spinal and other types of surgeries. Moreover, the technology used for the treatment is 90% that of developed nations and just one third of the cost of America and other western nations.

Besides this, the government of South Korea is also trying to attract more medical tourists with its high quality medical care. Recently, it has allowed hospitals to market themselves to foreign patients. To further boost the industry, the South Korean government has amended its immigration policies allowing overseas patients as well as their family members to obtain long-term medical visas. It has also modified laws permitting local hospitals to undergo joint ventures with overseas hospitals in some of the cases.

The research report, "Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea", provides an in-depth analysis of the present and future prospects of the South Korean medical tourism industry. It thoroughly studies the medical tourism industry with focus on different parameters like inbound tourism, expenditure by inbound tourists, medical tourists, expenditure by medi cal tourists and healthcare infrastructure. The report also provides strategic insight to clients to evaluate the opportunities critical for their success in the South Korean medical tourism industry.

The study also gives forecast on medical tourist arrivals, revenue from medical tourists, number of hospital beds, number of doctors, GDP growth, disposable income and population.

South Korea is hoping to take advantage of its core competence in biotechnology and, in particular, stem cell research. In 2006, it was reported that the Korean government was awarding $430 billion won (approximately $400 million USD) aimed at supporting stem-cell research. The government stated it hoped to become one of the world's top three leading countries in stem cell research by 2015.

One of the up and coming countries, providing healthcare options to the world, is the country of South Korea. The country is already very popular with wealthy citizens in Southeast Asia who are in the market for high-quality health care at a low cost. In March 2007, a council composed of 34 Korean hospitals/clinics and the government officials launched the Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion (CKMP), which is tasked with attracting overseas patients to the country. One of the functions CKMP serves is to help Korean hospitals in international marketing. Half of the budget (primarily to be used for marketing and promotion) of the CKMP is coming from government sources (the government has set aside $570 million won or approximately $601,000 USD) and another half is coming from hospitals/clinics for 2007 (each member hospital will pay approximately 15 million won in fees).

In 2007, hospitals/clinics affiliated with CKMP had over 16,000 foreign patients visit Korea for healthcare procedures compared to only 10,000 (national estimates of foreign patients) in 2005 (an increase of 62.5% in 2 years). The country has set the ambitious goal of having at least 100,000 foreign patients annually by 2012. If they achieve this goal, it could bring the country medical tourism earnings of an estimated $200 billion won (approximately $199 million US Dollars) per year, according to CKMP secretary general Jang Kyung-Won. The government (through the health ministry department) is also helping by simplifying the visa issuance for overseas patients. Some of the potential markets for the Korean medical tourism industry are patients from China, Japan (around 2 million Japanese tourists visit South Korea every year accounting for around 50% of total tourist arrivals!) and the United States. From the US, there are many direct flights (particularly to the fairly recently built Incheon International Airport some 50 km west of Seoul) that average 12 to 15 hours flight time to reach Korea).

Economic Facts

Four decades ago, the GDP per capita of South Korea was comparable to many of the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. But since the 1960s, the Koreans have achieved an incredible record of growth and have developed into a high-tech, modern, global economy resulting in the country joining the trillion dollar club in 2004. Currently, its GDP per capita (in 2008 it was around $24, 800 USD) is roughly the same as the European countries of Greece and Spain. Part of this historical success is due to close government and business ties and smart economic policies (e.g., promoting the import of raw materials and technologies at the expense of consumer goods and encouraging citizens to save and investment). In addition, the Government instituted economic reforms after the 1997 Asian economic downturn and South Korea is expected to continue to have one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world.

The future looks very bright for South Korea (population estimated in July 2008 at over 49 million); it has very favorable economic conditions for continued sustainable growth. Disposable income of the Korean people seems to be rising and there has been a comparable rise in the per capita expenditures on healthcare. The current GDP (from 2007) is USD $1.201 trillion and growing at a 2008 projected rate of over 4% (which is down somewhat from the 8.5% the country experienced in 2000). Of this GDP, a majority (over 57.6%) is driven by the Services sector (which includes the Healthcare industry). In fact, expenditures on health as percentage of GDP are around 6.4% (2006) and total consumer expenditures on healthcare are estimated at $32.8 billion USD (2005). In fact, between 2000 and 2006, the growth rate in health spending per capita in Korea reached 10.7% per year (compared to a 5% OECD average). One reason for this is that pharmaceuticals accounted for 25.8% of total health spending (from 2006) in South Korea (compared to a OECD average of 17.6%).

Healthcare Facts

In 1989, South Korea (using the Japanese health insurance system as a prototype) expanded the national health insurance (NHI) program (developed in 1977) and extended it to all citizens. Recently (in July of 2000), NHI started to separate reimbursements for pharmaceuticals from medical care (regarded by some as the most significant financial issue that could disrupt the Korean NHI). Also, many Korean physicians feel that the universal health insurance system (which only pays around 65% of customary medical care costs) limits their income. On the other hand, historically there has been limited public accountability over charges by medical personnel which has led to: an excessive overuse of antibiotics; more magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines per million population than anywhere else in the world; and high rates of cesarean delivery (about 40% of all live births). However, according to a 2002 Journal of Public Health article, the Korean government has begun to do a better job of controlling health insurance costs.

According to WHO statistics (from 2000) there were 61 hospital beds per 10,000 population (according to 2002 statistics there were a total of 963 hospitals and 22,977 clinics) in Korea. Of these facilities, it is estimated that the private medical care sector makes up about 90% of the total bed capacity (private health expenditures were 62.2% of total expenditures compared to 55.9% in the US- data from 2000). The most common Korean government facilities are community public health centers known as Bogeunso. The US Embassy of South Korea estimates that there are at least 25 hospital facilities in the country that offer English-speaking staff. There is one Korean JCI accredited (in May of 2007) hospital, the Severance Hospital, which is part of the Yonsei University Health System (YUHS) and is located in Seoul. The YUHS system consists of 2 graduate schools, 3 colleges, and 5 hospitals (consisting of more than 3,000 beds) which see more than 2.7 million outpatients and 992,000 inpatients every year. In South Korea there are estimated to be 1.4 physicians per 10,000 population (2002 estimate- compared to most developed nations which have an average of 3.0) or approximately 78,070 licensed doctors (not including 13,460 Oriental medicine doctors) in the country. Interestingly, medical specialists make up more than 80% of practicing medical doctors in South Korea (in most Western countries this percentage is around 50%) and about one fourth of Korean medical doctors have 2 or more specialties. There are approximately 181,786 nurses in the country (2002) and these numbers have increased significantly during the past decade (estimated at 4.0 per 1,000 population in 2006- compared to an OECD average of 9.7). It is estimated that the average charge for an in-patient visit in a Korean hospital is about 13 times lower than in a U.S. hospital (approximately $3,762) and an average outpatient visit is about 9 times lower than a comparable U.S. visit (approximately $13,000).

Impacts to Other Industries

The Medical Tourism industry in South Korea should benefit from the country’s reputation in plastic surgery. Korean doctors are known abroad for abundant experience and expertise in cosmetic and aesthetic treatments. In addition, South Korea is hoping to take advantage of its core competence in biotechnology and, in particular, stem cell research. In 2006, it was reported that the Korean government was awarding $430 billion won (approximately $400 million USD) aimed at supporting stem-cell research (the government stated it hoped to become one of the world's top three leading countries in stem cell research by 2015). Finally, an interesting finding (also being found in other Asian countries) is the bundling of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments (in this case, Korean traditional medicine) in medical tourism packages.

Summary

South Korea has a very ambitious plan to take advantage of their state-of-the-art technology, good reputation in certain specialties, low prices, and advanced research agenda to compete in the medical tourism market. The country has plans to continue to upgrade existing healthcare centers, to increase the total number of healthcare facilities; such as clinics and diagnostic centers, and to train more doctors and other medical professionals. It also has the advantage of millions of visitors from Japan (which has a rapidly aging population), better infrastructure than some of its other Asian medical tourism competitors, and possible visitors from North Korea (based on the rapidly changing diplomatic situation). In addition, it will also be interesting to see if the practice of CAM treatments are an added differentiator for medical tourists from Occidental countries. For this country, the opportunities in medical tourism are immense and the possible rewards are numerous.

Modern Technology with most recent

medical equipments

, top rated world class physicians, unique caring and deep sympathy for patients and lower costing for medical treatments are some of the things which tend people to choose South Korea as their medical tourism destination. Some of the world's best hospitals and stand alone specialty clinics are located in South Korea. One can easily feel the warmth of the hospitality in the form of timely care from expert nurses and doctors, instant facilities for all emergency cases without waiting too long and state-of-the-art facilities in South Korea. There is additional benefit when you choose South Korea as your medical tourism place because once your treatment is over and you need relaxation for few more days, you can find some of the world's best spa retreat resorts and travel and tour destinations in South Korea.

You may face language problem when you visit some other countries. But in South Korea there is no such problem as there are language translators available at all prominent places where tourists arrive from foreign countries. Also there is no lack of accommodations and you can always find plus accommodations and other other amenities without any delays and waiting in queue. For overseas promotion of Korean medicine and health care, the country launched a council and thus putting its first step into medical tourism lucrative market. This organization gets its finance by the Government and 28 private hospitals. They are working hard on the project to promote medical packages to foreign patients seeking affordable health care. The Council has purposed and started a set of measures to promote the medical vacation tourism industry by aiding hospitals in their marketing plan strategies. The government has initiated measures to promote medical tourism, such as easing the visa process for foreign patients. In this way, South Korea can generate greater overseas awareness of the country's medical and tourism offerings. With high quality workers and advanced technology, South Korea has the potential to become a leading medical hub, according to the Korea International Trade Association.

Definately many people need plastic and cosmetic surgical operations for various body parts and such patients are growing in number day by day. South Korea has been able to establish itself as a major center for cosmetic and plastic surgery. In fact, South Korea is considered the world’s capital for plastic surgery. Skin care and plastic surgery, has seen a sharp increase in the number of overseas customers. South Korea has also become a major destination for those seeking stem cell transplant. This is a process used in cancer treatment. South Korean scientists have made numerous breakthroughs in the stem cell process. They have developed a more efficient procedure of creating clone embryos from patients who wish to have a stem cell transplant. The government has also launched the Korea Medical Service Promotion Agency to make foreigners more aware of the country’s low-cost, high quality medical care and to attract more medical tourists. In 2005, about 10,000 medical tourists sought treatment in South Korea. The government hopes to increase this number to 15,000 by 2007.

The average charge for an in-patient visit in a US hospital is $3,762, which is 13 times higher than in South Korea. The average charge for
outpatients in the US is $13,000 which is 9 times higher than in South Korea. South Korea's affordable health care system has seen the number of foreign patients rise from 10,000 to 13,000 in just 2 years. With all these added measures in place, South Korea is on its way to claim its share in the prosperous medical tourism and vacation business. However, All people wishing to enter the Republic of South Korea must have a valid visa and passport. So one must take care of that before deciding to choose South Korea as their medical tourism destination.

News and Reviews: We all know that only thing constant is CHANGE. We are now witnessing change on every mark – be it American Politics or Global Finance. It is visible every where. Now, a sweeping change is affecting core Indian strength – Viable Outsourcing. Yes, we have solid reason to believe that Indian Outsourcing Industry is facing credible threats not from Political Policies of the WEST but emerging markets like China and Philippines. Now, latest to join the list is South Korea and that too in our bastion of MEDICAL TOURISM (MT). Competition is always good as it helps players to remain on innovation and service curve but too many players in a niche market like Information Technology (IT) Outsourcing or Medical Tourism (MT) will kill competitive advantage of INDIA. So, why is India losing ground? May be we have still not built INFRASTRUCTURE or our PRICING is not competitive or may be we are not graduating in terms of Service & Product Offerings.

We are not experts of Medical Tourism. But since we deal with Health Insurance, we feel that it is indeed suffering due to Insurance Part missing from Medical Tourism piece. Here is a simple explanation. If I am an American who would like to come to INDIA to see Taj Mahal and also would want to complete the Facial Uplift (Cosmetic Surgery), my American Insurance should be able to pay for that Indian Services, which is not the case. Worst is that Western World, particularly Americans are still not sure of the Medical Treatments and Quality Diagnosis is available in INDIA is at par with America. Essentially, it is more of Marketing or Communication challenge to change the American mindset and grow the opportunity. With South Korea joining the fray, it will be really difficult for Indian Medial Tourism Players to present clear and attractive USP vis-à-vis competition. Time will only tell who will win this race but sure Indians will have to come out with better strategies to maintain the leadership position in the World of Outsourcing including IT and MT. Choe Sang-Hun writes about the ascent of Korean Medical Tourism. Click to read on …

On the resort island of Jeju, the government is building Health Care Town, a 370-acre complex of medical clinics and upscale apartments surrounded by 18-hole golf courses and scenic beaches, to lure foreigners in need of medical care.

West of Seoul, on the muddy beaches of Inchon where American troops splashed ashore 58 years ago to fight in the Korean War, a new steel-and-glass town is rising to attract foreign visitors, including medical tourists.

South Korea has joined Thailand, Singapore, India and other Asian nations in the lucrative business of medical tourism. Heart bypasses, spinal surgery, hip-joint replacements, cosmetic surgery — procedures that may cost tens of thousands of dollars in the United States — can often be done for one-third or even one-tenth of the cost in Asia, with much shorter waiting times and by specialists often trained in the West.

Americans fleeing the high cost of medicine at home have spurred the trend. Last year, 750,000 Americans sought cheaper treatment abroad, a figure projected to reach 6 million by 2010, according to a recent study by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, a consultancy. Asian nations are also wooing wealthy Middle Eastern patients who have found it more difficult to get a visa to enter the United States since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The number of foreigners coming to South Korea for Medical Care is still a fraction of those getting treatment in India, Thailand and Singapore, industry officials said. But clinics and the South Korean government are trying hard to attract these tourists, who not only bring in money for cash-strapped hospitals but also help the economy by staying on to shop and sightsee after their procedure is over.

The government has revised immigration rules to allow foreign patients and their families to get long-term medical visas and altered laws to permit local hospitals to form joint ventures with foreign hospitals in some cases.

When Hassan and Fatima Al-Abdulla of Qatar arrived in Seoul in October, they found a car and an English-speaking nurse waiting at the airport.

Soon they were checking into the Wooridul Spine Hospital so Ms. Abdulla could have surgery for her chronic back and leg pain.

Mr. Abdulla found his wife’s hospital room — furnished with a television, broadband Internet access, private bathroom, sofas and an extra bed — so comfortable that he decided to stay with her rather than go to a hotel.

Ms. Abdulla had all her pre-surgical tests the day she arrived. The next day, she was on an operating table.

“I feel very good,” she said five days after her surgery. “I can walk and shop now.”

Mr. Abdulla said he and his wife were now eager to visit the stores and museums in Seoul, “probably spending more on shopping than in the medical center.”

Wooridul Spine Hospital said it expected to draw about 1,000 foreign patients and $1 million in revenue from their treatments in 2008, its third year of wooing foreigners. It said its patients hailed from 47 countries, with about a third from the United States.

Wooridul plans to build a hospital branch, apartments, a concert hall and an art museum on the Jeju island as part of its medical tourism offerings, in addition to the golf course it has already built, said Lee Mi-jeong, a Wooridul spokeswoman.

“We believe this is a major future industry for our island,” said Kim Kyung-taeg, head of the government-run Jeju Development Center. “The town will specialize in medical checkups, long-term convalescence and procedures Korean doctors do well and cheaply, such as plastic surgery and dentistry.”

No government records are available on how many medical tourists come to South Korea. But a survey of 29 hospitals showed that they treated 38,822 uninsured foreign patients — excluding certain categories like long-term Korean expatriates — between January and August, compared with 15,680 in 2007, according to the government-financed Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

It said 25 percent of those patients were from the United States, and 10 percent each were from China and Japan.

Medical fees are strictly controlled by the government as part of a national health insurance program, but hospitals like Wooridul can negotiate fees with foreign patients without interference from insurance authorities.

Gregory Kellstrom, a civilian forklift operator at the American military base in Seoul, decided to go to Wooridul recently to get spinal scans and medication for his back and hip problems instead of returning to the United States.

“For me personally, this is not about money,” said Mr. Kellstrom, 42, who paid out of his own pocket but planned to apply for reimbursement from his American insurer.

“In the States, it will probably take easily six months just to get the treatment I have here in one day,” he said.

Baialinova Dariakul, 49, the wife of a wealthy businessman in Kyrgyzstan, said she came to Wooridul for treatment for her spinal tumor because it was unavailable at home. Fumiko Yamada, 75, a Tokyo resident who recently had a back operation at Wooridul, said she would have had to wait years to get an appointment with a leading Japanese surgeon who performs the same operation.

Some Koreans fear that social inequality will grow if medical resources and skilled workers migrate from public health care to better-paying jobs that cater to foreigners, said Dr. Yoon Dae-hyun, a psychiatrist at the Healthcare System Gangnam Center at Seoul National University Hospital. But he added that the effort to attract foreigners could inspire more local hospitals to upgrade their services.

“There isn’t much of a gap anymore between the good hospitals in Asia and the United States,” he said.

His center plans to open a marketing office in Los Angeles, and hopes to attract medical tourists from the pool of two million Korean-Americans. Foreigners who can document Korean ancestry can qualify for the South Korean national health insurance.

Sally Im, a Korean-American from Honolulu, recently traveled to Wooridul for back surgery. After her husband paid two months’ worth of premiums — about $90 — on their arrival, a portion of Ms. Im’s medical bill was covered by the South Korean government. The couple ended up spending $3,200, rather than the $30,000 that her operation would have cost in the United States, Wooridul said.

Not everyone in South Korea is happy about such arrangements, fearing that ethnic Koreans from abroad could become a drag on the national insurance coffers. There is talk of limiting benefits to long-term residents.

The Ims, meanwhile, were happy that they had an alternative to the American medical system.

“We met a good doctor and had good surgery,” said Ms. Im’s husband, Stan. “We feel very lucky.”

(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 16, 2009 ) New Delhi, India - According to our new research report, Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea, government initiatives to promote the country as a medical tourism hub will fuel the growth in the South Korean medical tourism industry. Despite the gloomy outlook for the world economy, medical tourism industry in South Korea has witnessed an impressive growth of more than 55% in 2008 over the same period last year.

As per our research report, government of South Korea is working hard to make the country leading medical tourism destination. Government has given permission to the hospitals to directly seek foreign patients from May 2009 as a part of South Korea's efforts to become Asia's new medical tourism center. Apart from this, the South Korean government has recently introduced a new category of visa for tourists who visit the country for medical purposes. The foreign medical tourist visa scheme has been introduced in a bid to boost the nation's medical tourism industry.

The report also says that due to a large pool of skilled surgeons, South Korea is quite likely to realize its goal of becoming a leading medical tourism destination. It is expected that by 2012, total medical tourist arrivals will increase by four folds from the existing level.

Additionally, due to the global recession, South Korea is now 30% cheaper to visit than it was in the same period last year; this is further pushing the medical tourism industry.

The research report Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea provides an in-depth analysis of the present and future prospects of the South Korea's medical tourism industry. It looks into South Korea medical tourism industry in detail, with the focus on different parameters like inbound tourism, expenditure by inbound tourists, medical tourists, expenditure by medical tourists and healthcare infrastructure. This report provides strategic insight to clients to evaluate the opportunities for their success in the South Korea's medical tourism industry.

The study also gives forecast on medical tourist arrivals, revenue from medical tourists, number of hospital beds, number of doctors, GDP growth, disposable income and population of South Korea. This will help clients to analyze how and where the South Korean medical tourism industry is going to stand in the coming times

(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 16, 2009 ) New Delhi, India - According to our new research report, Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea, government initiatives to promote the country as a medical tourism hub will fuel the growth in the South Korean medical tourism industry. Despite the gloomy outlook for the world economy, medical tourism industry in South Korea has witnessed an impressive growth of more than 55% in 2008 over the same period last year.

As per our research report, government of South Korea is working hard to make the country leading medical tourism destination. Government has given permission to the hospitals to directly seek foreign patients from May 2009 as a part of South Korea's efforts to become Asia's new medical tourism center. Apart from this, the South Korean government has recently introduced a new category of visa for tourists who visit the country for medical purposes. The foreign medical tourist visa scheme has been introduced in a bid to boost the nation's medical tourism industry.

The report also says that due to a large pool of skilled surgeons, South Korea is quite likely to realize its goal of becoming a leading medical tourism destination. It is expected that by 2012, total medical tourist arrivals will increase by four folds from the existing level.

Additionally, due to the global recession, South Korea is now 30% cheaper to visit than it was in the same period last year; this is further pushing the medical tourism industry.

The research report Emerging Medical Tourism in South Korea provides an in-depth analysis of the present and future prospects of the South Korea's medical tourism industry. It looks into South Korea medical tourism industry in detail, with the focus on different parameters like inbound tourism, expenditure by inbound tourists, medical tourists, expenditure by medical tourists and healthcare infrastructure. This report provides strategic insight to clients to evaluate the opportunities for their success in the South Korea's medical tourism industry.

The study also gives forecast on medical tourist arrivals, revenue from medical tourists, number of hospital beds, number of doctors, GDP growth, disposable income and population of South Korea. This will help clients to analyze how and where the South Korean medical tourism industry is going to stand in the coming times

SEOUL, S KOREA - AFTER building its economy on semiconductors, ships and steel, South Korea is touting its surgeons' skills in the beauty business to carve out a new niche.

Helped by active government support, a boom in cosmetic surgery and a pool of experienced surgeons, the country wants to surpass Singapore, Thailand and India to become Asia's new medical tourism hub.

'In foreign countries, the combination of the health and tourism industries is emerging as a new future-oriented industrial sector,' President Lee Myung Bak said at a recent policy briefing.

'South Korea, which has world-class medical staff, has failed to capitalise on the combination of health and tourism, mainly due to excessive regulations.'

Health Minister Kim Soung Yee said recently the government would step up efforts to win parliamentary approval of a bill that would legalise profit-oriented medical brokerages linking hospitals and patients.

Even without local insurance benefits, foreigners find high-quality services cheaper than in the United States or Japan, Mr Kim said.

'And for cosmetic surgery, Korea has already become popular with the wealthy of South-east Asia.'

The health ministry helps hospitals in marketing or providing consultations and is pushing to simplify visa issuance for overseas patients.

Hospitals have set an ambitious goal of 100,000 foreign patients annually by 2012. In March last year 36 hospitals and state agencies formed the Council for Korean Medicine Overseas Promotion (CKMP) to tap the fast-growing market.

Separately, the Seoul city government has launched a project to attract more foreign tourists seeking cosmetic surgery - capitalising on the popularity of the 'Korean Wave' of pop culture in Asia in recent years.

'If Parliament approves revised regulations, we will actively support a tour programme for skincare and cosmetic surgery,' a city tourism bureau official said on condition of anonymity.

The city plans to provide multilingual counselling staff and introduce cosmetic surgeons or dermatologists to tourists.

Business is already growing.

Official data showed hospitals affiliated with the CKMP received some 16,000 foreign patients in 2007 compared to just 750 in 2005. Nationwide figures were not available.

'If we achieve the goal of attracting 100,000 foreign patients by 2012, (annual) earnings from medical tourism may reach an estimated 200 billion won (S$272 million),' CKMP secretary-general Jang Kyung Won said in a recent television interview.

He said Singapore, Thailand and India have been leading Asia's medical tourism market.

'But the level of our medical technology is higher. We can lead the sector in the future,' he said, citing what he called South Korea's high-quality service in plastic surgery, spinal diseases, stomach cancer surgery and laser treatment to correct short sight.

The council has held overseas expositions and developed medical tourism packages in partnership with travel agencies.

Mr Jang said plastic surgery would play a crucial role.

Cosmetic surgery is commonplace in South Korea. A Kyung Hee University survey in 2007 found that 47.3 per cent of adults had experienced it.

Nearly eight out 10 Korean women believe it is necessary to improve their looks in an society which focuses on personal appearance, the survey said.

Many young women consult plastic surgeons to boost chances of getting a job. Parents offer cosmetic surgery as a graduation or birthday gift for children.

'We are the best in Asia in aesthetic treatment,' said Korea University Hospital professor Yoon Eul Sik, who is also manager of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

'South Korean plastic surgeons are well known abroad for abundant experience and expertise.' -- AFP

State-licensed clinics and hospitals are now allowed to directly seek foreign patients as part of South Korea's efforts to become Asia's new medical tourism hub.

Hospitals were barred from directly advertising for patients or accepting them through dedicated referral services.

Lee Young-ho, marketing director of the Global Healthcare Business Center, said: “We expect about US$221 million in revenue this year in this sector, which will grow fast amid our aggressive overseas marketing. We expect more than 40 local travel agencies and hundreds of hospitals and clinics to apply for state licenses”

The country expects 50, 000 foreigners will seek treatment in its healthcare facilities this year compared to 27,480 overseas-based patients who arrived in 2008. By 2013, the number of medical travellers to South Korea will reach about 200,000.

The Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion, a government-sponsored institution that promotes medical tourism in Korea, said it hopes to raise the number to 140,000 by 2012, but the health ministry expects that figure not to be reached until 2015.

On the other hand, critics argued there are still many obstacles to overcome. Questions remain about issues such as visa requirements and possible communication problems, most South Koreans are not fluent in English.

Forty-four major hospitals, including the “Big Four” — Seoul National University Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, Asan Medical Center and Yonsei Severance Hospital and some national and public hospitals will reserve 5 percent of their beds for foreigners. Asiana Airlines, Korea’s second-largest passenger carrier has a new agreement with Hanyang University Medical Center to support and promote medical tourism.

American citizens accounted for 34 percent of the country’s total overseas patients last year, but it hopes to attract more patients from Russia, Mongolia and China this year.

A group of Korean doctors, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, cosmetic surgeons and others recently visited Tokyo to promote the idea of Korea as a destination for Japanese seeking tummy tucks, corrective eye surgery and other medical procedures.

“If you come to Korea, dermatologists will provide treatment and medical counselling in Japanese. With advanced and safe dermatology laser treatments, you will become more beautiful while spending less money than you pay for the same treatment in Japan,” Ahn Gun-young, president of Gowoon Sesang Clinic, told around 30 Japanese tour agents during the visit.

Shinji Yamasaki, who runs Japan’s largest website for seniors, www.seniorcom.jp, said that 30 percent of the company’s members who are over 60 responded in a survey that they are interested in travelling overseas for medical reasons, particularly in getting cosmetic surgery.

He explained: “Since a large number of Japanese elderly are fond of Korean celebrities and as the price of Korean medical treatment is reasonable, Korean medical tourism has the competitive power to win Japanese customers.”

The Korea Tourism Organization has launched a trial tour for potential Chinese cosmetic surgery travellers with six Chinese travel agencies. From March to the end of this year, the package will offer Chinese travellers a five-day itinerary including massages, spa and special treatment programmes by dermatologists, along with a visit to popular destinations such as Jeju Island and Seoul. "Through these packages, we plan to make Korea a new destination for medical travel among the Chinese customers, and eventually expand it to the fields of dentistry, oriental medicine and health check-up," said Ahn Yong-hoon of the KTO`s Beijing office. The promotion is likely to remain limited as China currently bans promotion of medical services for serious illnesses.

Meanwhile, South Korea is now 30 percent cheaper to visit than it was in the same period last year, revealed Baeho Kim, regional director of the South Korean Tourism Organization in Kuwait when leading a team of medical tourism delegates from three well-known South Korean hospitals, the KonKuk University Medical Center, Wooridul (Spinal) Health Care and the Kyung Hee University (East-West Neo Medical Center).

“South Korea is now more affordable than ever because of the fluctuation of our currency. So I expect more Kuwaiti citizens to visit Korea this summer. South Korea has made it easier for Kuwaitis to visit the country as a visa is not required for Kuwaiti citizens.”

The New York Times on Sunday examined South Korea's inclusion on the growing list of countries that engage in medical tourism. The South Korean government, along with clinics, is trying to attract medical tourists in an effort to provide needed income for some hospitals. In South Korea, medical fees for the country's residents are determined by the government, but hospitals can negotiate fees with foreign patients on their own. In addition, the government hopes medical tourism will boost the economy by having patients vacation in the country post-procedure. South Korea has revised its immigration policies to allow foreign patients and their families to obtain long-term medical visas and also has changed its laws to permit local hospitals to join in ventures with foreign hospitals.

Although no government records indicate how many medical tourists come to South Korea hospitals, a survey of 29 hospitals in the country found that 38,822 uninsured foreign patients were treated between January and August, compared with 15,680 in 2007, according to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. The survey also found that 25% of the patients were from the U.S. and 10% came from both China and Japan.

Yoon Dae-hyun, a psychiatrist at the Healthcare System Gangnam Center at Seoul National University Hospital, said some Koreans are worried that social inequality will result from medical resources and skilled workers migrating from public health care to better jobs assisting foreigners. However, he said that the effort to attract foreigners could inspire local hospitals to improve their services. "There isn't much of a gap anymore between the good hospitals in Asia and the United States," he said.

The article also profiled several medical tourists to South Korea and some of the country's medical institutions (Sang-Hun, New York Times, 11/16).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

The South Korean government recently launched a new visa category for medical tourists. The foreign tourist visa, called visa M, was designed to accommodate foreign medical tourists to the country to boost the medical tourism industry in South Korea. It is the government’s answer to the medical industry’s requests for the simplification of the visa application process.

There are two kinds of M visas that will be issued to foreign patients- the C3 visa which will be good for 90 days for short-term medical visits and the G1 visa which will be valid for 1 year.

There are also plans for the country’s government to allow hospitals and other companies involved in the medical industry to do marketing and promotions activities to attract more foreign patients to the country.

South Korea aims to become one the major medical tourist destinations not just in Asia but the world. Medical tourists to the country are expected to increase by four-fold by 2012. The government and the private industry are working together to make South Korea a medical tourism hub in Asia. This will help bring more medical travelers to the country, effectively increasing the country’s income from foreign travelers. The Council for Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion was launched with the help of 28 private hospitals and the South Korean government. The Council will promote medical packages to foreign patients and will help hospitals with their marketing strategies to attract foreign patients.

SEOUL, South Korea — In this city’s Apgujeong district, famous for its high-end boutiques and plastic surgeons, tourist buses unload Chinese and Japanese visitors looking for a nip and tuck as part of their packaged tour.

On the resort island of Jeju, the government is building Health Care Town, a 370-acre complex of medical clinics and upscale apartments surrounded by 18-hole golf courses and scenic beaches, to lure foreigners in need of medical care.

West of Seoul, on the muddy beaches of Inchon where American troops splashed ashore 58 years ago to fight in the Korean War, a new steel-and-glass town is rising to attract foreign visitors, including medical tourists.

South Korea has joined Thailand, Singapore, India and other Asian nations in the lucrative business of medical tourism. Heart bypasses, spinal surgery, hip-joint replacements, cosmetic surgery — procedures that may cost tens of thousands of dollars in the United States — can often be done for one-third or even one-tenth of the cost in Asia, with much shorter waiting times and by specialists often trained in the West.

Americans fleeing the high cost of medicine at home have spurred the trend. Last year, 750,000 Americans sought cheaper treatment abroad, a figure projected to reach 6 million by 2010, according to a recent study by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, a consultancy. Asian nations are also wooing wealthy Middle Eastern patients who have found it more difficult to get a visa to enter the United States since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The number of foreigners coming to South Korea for medical care is still a fraction of those getting treatment in India, Thailand and Singapore, industry officials said. But clinics and the South Korean government are trying hard to attract these tourists, who not only bring in money for cash-strapped hospitals but also help the economy by staying on to shop and sightsee after their procedure is over.

The government has revised immigration rules to allow foreign patients and their families to get long-term medical visas and altered laws to permit local hospitals to form joint ventures with foreign hospitals in some cases.

When Hassan and Fatima Al-Abdulla of Qatar arrived in Seoul in October, they found a car and an English-speaking nurse waiting at the airport.

Soon they were checking into the Wooridul Spine Hospital so Ms. Abdulla could have surgery for her chronic back and leg pain.

Mr. Abdulla found his wife’s hospital room — furnished with a television, broadband Internet access, private bathroom, sofas and an extra bed — so comfortable that he decided to stay with her rather than go to a hotel.

Ms. Abdulla had all her pre-surgical tests the day she arrived. The next day, she was on an operating table.

“I feel very good,” she said five days after her surgery. “I can walk and shop now.”

Mr. Abdulla said he and his wife were now eager to visit the stores and museums in Seoul, “probably spending more on shopping than in the medical center.”

Wooridul Spine Hospital said it expected to draw about 1,000 foreign patients and $1 million in revenue from their treatments in 2008, its third year of wooing foreigners. It said its patients hailed from 47 countries, with about a third from the United States.

Wooridul plans to build a hospital branch, apartments, a concert hall and an art museum on the Jeju island as part of its medical tourism offerings, in addition to the golf course it has already built, said Lee Mi-jeong, a Wooridul spokeswoman.

“We believe this is a major future industry for our island,” said Kim Kyung-taeg, head of the government-run Jeju Development Center. “The town will specialize in medical checkups, long-term convalescence and procedures Korean doctors do well and cheaply, such as plastic surgery and dentistry.”

No government records are available on how many medical tourists come to South Korea. But a survey of 29 hospitals showed that they treated 38,822 uninsured foreign patients — excluding certain categories like long-term Korean expatriates — between January and August, compared with 15,680 in 2007, according to the government-financed Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

It said 25 percent of those patients were from the United States, and 10 percent each were from China and Japan.

Medical fees are strictly controlled by the government as part of a national health insurance program, but hospitals like Wooridul can negotiate fees with foreign patients without interference from insurance authorities.

Gregory Kellstrom, a civilian forklift operator at the American military base in Seoul, decided to go to Wooridul recently to get spinal scans and medication for his back and hip problems instead of returning to the United States.

“For me personally, this is not about money,” said Mr. Kellstrom, 42, who paid out of his own pocket but planned to apply for reimbursement from his American insurer.

“In the States, it will probably take easily six months just to get the treatment I have here in one day,” he said.

Baialinova Dariakul, 49, the wife of a wealthy businessman in Kyrgyzstan, said she came to Wooridul for treatment for her spinal tumor because it was unavailable at home. Fumiko Yamada, 75, a Tokyo resident who recently had a back operation at Wooridul, said she would have had to wait years to get an appointment with a leading Japanese surgeon who performs the same operation.

Some Koreans fear that social inequality will grow if medical resources and skilled workers migrate from public health care to better-paying jobs that cater to foreigners, said Dr. Yoon Dae-hyun, a psychiatrist at the Healthcare System Gangnam Center at Seoul National University Hospital. But he added that the effort to attract foreigners could inspire more local hospitals to upgrade their services.

“There isn’t much of a gap anymore between the good hospitals in Asia and the United States,” he said.

His center plans to open a marketing office in Los Angeles, and hopes to attract medical tourists from the pool of two million Korean-Americans. Foreigners who can document Korean ancestry can qualify for the South Korean national health insurance.

Sally Im, a Korean-American from Honolulu, recently traveled to Wooridul for back surgery. After her husband paid two months’ worth of premiums — about $90 — on their arrival, a portion of Ms. Im’s medical bill was covered by the South Korean government. The couple ended up spending $3,200, rather than the $30,000 that her operation would have cost in the United States, Wooridul said.

Not everyone in South Korea is happy about such arrangements, fearing that ethnic Koreans from abroad could become a drag on the national insurance coffers. There is talk of limiting benefits to long-term residents.

The Ims, meanwhile, were happy that they had an alternative to the American medical system.

“We met a good doctor and had good surgery,” said Ms. Im’s husband, Stan. “We feel very lucky.”