Seoul will increase its pool of medical tourism interpreter-coordinators tenfold to 1,000 from 108 this year, the city government announced Monday, as cosmetic procedures and personal color consultations drive a boom in medical tourism among foreign visitors.
The city signed an agreement with the K-Medical Tourism Association on June 6 to deploy the association's interpreter-coordinators at major medical institutions supported by the city and provide training to enhance medical interpretation capabilities.
Medical tourism interpreter-coordinators are specialists who provide interpretation during medical consultations and offer tourism guidance to foreign patients. The city expects the expansion will enable comprehensive services from pre-treatment consultations to post-procedure care.
Over 85% of Medical Tourists Choose Seoul
More than eight in ten foreign visitors to South Korea head to Seoul. According to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, 1.17 million foreign medical tourists visited South Korea in 2024, with 998,642—or 85%—choosing Seoul. The figure marks a record high, more than doubling from 473,340 in 2023.
Foreign patients spent 2.86 trillion won ($2.1 billion) on credit cards in Seoul in 2024, averaging 3.22 million won per person. Medical services accounted for 1.23 trillion won, or 43% of total spending.
Medical tourism demand continued into 2025. Hana Financial Research Institute reported that medical tourism spending surged 438% compared to 2019. Dermatology's share of total medical spending expanded from 21.1% in 2019 to 57.4% in 2025.
Celebrity sisters Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian visited South Korea last year and posted photos of their dermatological treatments on Instagram, drawing global attention. The sisters reportedly visited multiple skin clinics in Seoul's Yongsan and Gangnam districts.
A February survey by inbound tourism platform Creatrip found that 22% of 100 foreign tourists cited dermatology visits as their most anticipated activity in Korea, followed by hair salons at 20% and makeup services at 19%.
Seoul plans to establish an integrated platform providing hospital information, visa details, accommodation, and tourism resources for medical tourists. The city will also designate "Seoul Medical-Friendly Accommodations" near hospitals that offer long-term stays with cooking facilities.
"We will maximize trust and satisfaction among foreign patients by expanding interpreter-coordinator capacity and providing faster access to information, ensuring accurate medical services for medical tourists visiting Seoul," said Kim Myung-ju, director of Seoul's Tourism and Sports Bureau.