Visiting Korea? Medical Tourism Options Are Expanding for Travelers

Disclosure: The Korea Daily is a participant in the partnership described in this article.

The Korea Daily and the Gangnam Medical Tourism Association have agreed to cooperate to expand Korean medical tourism and improve convenience for Korean Americans.

The two organizations recently signed a memorandum of understanding to broaden global exchange in medical tourism and pursue joint projects. The agreement aims to raise the international profile of Gangnam-gu’s medical tourism industry by combining the district’s world-class medical infrastructure with The Korea Daily’s global media and research capabilities.

Through the partnership, the two sides plan to provide Korean Americans with more accurate and verified information on Korean medical tourism. They will jointly promote the global expansion of Gangnam medical tourism and work toward building a sustainable medical tourism ecosystem.

As an initial step, the partners will identify exemplary medical tourism cases and develop them into storytelling-based content. They also plan to continue publishing informational materials and new planning-driven content for medical tourists.

The two organizations will share medical tourism trends and market insights and connect networks of industry experts to strengthen practical cooperation.

They will also collaborate in integrated marketing. Joint campaigns using digital platforms will be launched, and demand surveys will be conducted through The Korea Daily’s survey and research organization, ResearchON (research.koreadaily.com), to establish data-driven strategies.

Under the agreement, Korean Americans will be able to access more accurate and verified information on Korean medical tourism in Korean through The Korea Daily’s Korean medical tourism website, koreahealthtrip.com. The site will provide step-by-step guidance on areas that were previously difficult to access, including hospital selection criteria, treatment and procedure processes, expected costs, and stay schedules.

Content will focus on key questions Korean American patients commonly have, such as differences between the U.S. and Korean healthcare systems, post-treatment care, and whether follow-up visits are needed. The partnership also aims to strengthen a one-stop support system covering hospital coordination, interpretation services, and accommodations, enabling safer and more systematic medical tourism.

Gangnam-gu is a representative “K-medical hub,” chosen by about 37% of foreign medical tourists visiting Seoul. Based on this position, Gangnam-gu has developed medical tourism models that combine world-class medical technology with wellness tourism.

BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]