Korea Surpasses 2 Million International Patients in 2025
Korea welcomed 2.01 million international patients in 2025 — the first time the country has surpassed the two-million mark since records began in 2009 — cementing its position as Asia's leading destination for cross-border healthcare and wellness.
Overview
Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that 2.01 million international patients visited Korea in 2025 — the first time the country has surpassed two million in a single year since national tracking began in 2009. Including repeat visits, the total reach was 2.72 million patient visits, with a cumulative total of 7.06 million international patients recorded since 2009.
Three Years of Record-Breaking Growth
Following a sharp drop to 120,000 patients in 2020 due to COVID-19, Korea's international patient numbers have roughly doubled every year since the pandemic:
- 2023: 610,000 patients
- 2024: 1.17 million patients
- 2025: 2.01 million patients
This marks three consecutive years of all-time records.
Top Countries of Origin
Patients arrived from 201 countries in 2025. The top five were China, Japan, Taiwan, the United States, and Thailand.
- China and Japan together accounted for 60.6% of all international patients (1.219 million)
- Taiwan grew 122.5% year-over-year to 186,000 patients
- United States grew 70.4% to 173,000 patients — the highest US figure since 2009
- Canada grew 59.1% to 24,000 patients
China and Taiwan posted the highest growth rates overall, each more than doubling year-over-year, driven by rising demand for dermatology and non-surgical aesthetic procedures, expanded visa-free policies, and increased flight capacity.
US Patient Profile
American patients showed notably diverse care preferences, with visits distributed across dermatology (44.3%), internal medicine (13.2%), and plastic surgery (9.3%) — a broader spread than many other nationalities.
Southeast Asia
Growth across Southeast Asia was strong:
- Thailand: +52.3% (58,000 patients)
- Singapore: +62.1% (43,000 patients)
- Indonesia: +104.6% (21,000 patients)
- Malaysia: +106.8% (12,000 patients)
Dermatology and plastic surgery drove particularly sharp increases in Singapore (+56.9% and +280.1% respectively) and Thailand (+62.0% and +140.9%).
Top Specialties
Dermatology was by far the most visited specialty in 2025, accounting for 62.9% of all international patient visits (1.313 million). The full ranking:
- Dermatology — 1.313 million (62.9%)
- Plastic surgery — 233,000 (11.2%)
- Internal medicine — 192,000 (9.2%)
- Health screening centers — 65,000 (3.1%)
Year-over-year growth was led by dermatology (+86.2%), dental (+79.0%), plastic surgery (+64.3%), OB/GYN (+62.6%), and internal medicine (+54.9%).
Where Patients Went
Seoul attracted 87.2% of all international patients (1.76 million), benefiting from concentrated medical infrastructure, transport links, and a density of registered international patient facilities (2,555 institutions — 62.5% of the national total).
Outside the capital, strong growth was seen in Busan (+151.5%), Jeju (+114.7%), and Daegu (+31.4%).
Economic Impact
According to analysis by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, the 2.01 million international patients and their companions generated:
- 12.5 trillion KRW in total healthcare-related spending
- 3.3 trillion KRW in direct medical expenditure
- 10.5 trillion KRW in added value
- 22.8 trillion KRW in estimated national production ripple effect
What This Means for KRACE
The 2025 data reflects the same patient segments KRACE was built to serve. US patients — now Korea's fourth-largest international patient group — are visiting for dermatology, internal medicine, and health screenings. English-speaking patients from North America and beyond are seeking Korea's high-quality, cost-effective care, and expect seamless coordination, multilingual support, and trusted aftercare throughout their experience. KRACE is purpose-built to meet exactly this demand.
Official Statement
"With 2.01 million international patients in 2025, Korea has become Asia's undisputed hub for international patient access — a country that now welcomes more than one million international patients every year," said Jung Eun-young, Director of Health Industry Policy. "Visa-free policies, K-Beauty, K-pop, and the global spread of Korean culture have all played important roles. We will now focus on building a sustainable industry ecosystem suited to this new normal — pursuing quality growth and reinforcing competitiveness, while ensuring that the growth in international patients does not create inconvenience for Korea's domestic patients."