Japanese Medical Tourists to S. Korea Rank 2nd in 2025

Seoul, April 27 (Jiji Press)–Foreign medical tourists to South Korea, including for esthetic treatment, surged 71.9 pct in 2025 from the previous year to some 2.01 million, an all-time high, with Japanese ranking second after Chinese, the South Korean government has said. The number of Japanese visitors stood at about 600,000, up 36.0 pct, to account for 29.8 pct of the total, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Chinese medical tourists totaled some 620,000. Of the total, 62.9 pct, the largest share, traveled to South Korea for dermatological treatment, and 11.2 pct for orthopedic treatment. South Korea is enjoying good relations with Japan while exempting Chinese group tourists from short-term visa requirements last September. The popularity of South Korea’s pop culture, including K-pop music, and cosmetic products from brands in the country is believed to have led to an increase in visitors to the nation. The government-affiliated Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade estimated that the 2.01 million foreign visitors and those who accompanied them spent about some 12.5 trillion won during their stays in South Korea, with medical expenditures accounting for about 3.3 trillion won. The South Korean government has been pushing to attract foreign visitors for medical services since 2009. The government will continue monitoring the situation to make sure that the initiative will not negatively affect South Koreans’ access to medical services, a Ministry of Health and Welfare official said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]