외국인 의료관광객 작년 최다... '내과' 필두로 '성형•피부'과 강세 Time now for our "Life & Info" segment,... where we focus on information useful for your everyday life.
Today, we are going to focus on medical tourism in South Korea.
Hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors come in here every year for medical treatment.
The number hit a record high last year,... with Seoul the most visited destination.
We have our Choi Si-young in the studio to tell us more.
So Si-young, a record number. Just how big,... are we talking here?
Last year alone,... it reached almost four-hundred-thousand.
Medical tourism refers to people traveling to a country other than their own to get medical treatment,.... like plastic surgery.
Ever since 2009, when hospitals in South Korea were first allowed to admit foreign patients, the number of international medical tourists flowing in annually has been on the rise.
Since 2009, almost three million foreigners have come here for medical treatment.
So, almost 400-thousand,... an average of around seven and a half people a week coming here. That's a lot of planes full of medical tourists. I hear they come from all four corners of the world as well...
Right, out of the roughly four-hundred thousand visitors to South Korea last year,
a third came from China, followed by the United States, Japan, and Russia.
Other Asian countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Thailand were next in line.
As you mentioned, unsurprisingly, the majority of these tourists came to Seoul to get medical care. More than six out of ten medical tourists who came to Korea last year chose the capital as their destination.
Gangnam is the most visited district in Seoul because it's packed with high-quality hospitals authorized to treat foreign patients.
Gangnam is famous in Korea for being the mecca for plastic surgery, is that the main reason medical tourists are coming here then?
Well Mark,... yes. They are mostly seeking beauty-related medical treatment such as plastic surgery or dermatology,... skincare.
It's true though that "internal medicine" is what most people came for, but this is rather a "set" of specialized departments,... combining branches that deal with infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, digestive system, etc.
Okay,... you mentioned that some of these medical tourists come from as far away as the United States, why are they flying across the Pacific Ocean to get treatment here?
Well, Mark. There is no single clear-cut answer to that question, I think. So I wanna share with you what I heard during my chat with a plastic surgeon AND his patient. I think this might give you some clues.
"These days we do "minimally-invasive plastic surgery" which involves newer technologies such as laser therapy or threads. Patients benefit from quicker recovery times and less scarring."
"I heard that South Korea is world famous for its high-tech plastic surgery. My closest acquaintances told me the same thing. So rather than seeking plastic surgeons in my own country, I came to South Korea to get the surgery I want."
So, to borrow their words, I think South Korea's up-to-date surgical procedures may be one of the charms attracting foreign tourists.
Of course, the price may also be a factor, but considering tourists are paying for their flight AND accommodation, aside from the medical bills, it isn't really that cheap.
Why don't we take a listen to what some beauty specialists have to say about South Korea's success.
"South Korea is one of only a few countries where highly trained medical specialists are extensively operating on beauty-related procedures."
So, South Korea has the latest technology AND a great pool of of highly trained medical specialists just dedicated to enhancing beauty,... whether they may be plastic surgeons or dermatologists.
And experts went on to say that people in South Korea are so passionate about beauty regardless of age.
So medical specialists here are dealing with more beauty boost procedures than their peers elsewhere in the world.
THAT,... further sharpens their skills.
So Si-young, watching this news, I think some of our viewers may also be interested in knowing more about finding hospitals here in Gangnam.
Any tips?
Sure Mark. In fact, the Gangnam Medical Tour Center recommends hospitals. It helps visitors choose medical centers by different medical departments from plastic surgery, dermatology, to neurosurgery.
Visitors can also get some help to find suitable accommodation.
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