South-North Korea co-operation potential

The South Korean capital city sees medical tourism potential in co-operation between South and North Korea, plus broadens its medical tourist source target markets.

According to Seoul City, of the medical tourists who visited Seoul in 2017, Mongolians accounted for the fifth-highest number. 9,600 Mongolians visited Seoul as medical tourists in 2017. The South Korean capital city also sees medical tourism potential in co-operation between South and North Korea.

According to the Korea Tourism Organisation, Mongolian medical tourists stay in Korea for an average of 35.6 days, with the average stay of 17.7 days for medical tourists of all nationalities. On average Mongolian medical and health tourists also spend 10 days sightseeing.

To avoid being dependent on Chinese and Japanese medical tourists, Seoul has targeted ten countries; Russia, India, Mongolia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Russian medical tourists are gradually increasing.

Vietnamese medical tourists come to Korea for cosmetic surgery. According to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, the number of Vietnamese patients increased eightfold from 921 in 2010 to 7,447 in 2017.