Korea Tourism Organization Holds Regional Medical Tourism Council Meeting: "Discussing Revitalization of Regional Medical Services"

First Meeting Held at Sono Calm Goyang on December 15

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on December 15 that they held a regional council meeting on medical tourism at Sono Calm Goyang on December 12. This meeting was organized for the first time to decentralize the demand for medical tourism, which is currently concentrated in Seoul, and to strengthen the competitiveness of regional medical tourism.

Participants of the regional council meeting are taking a group photo. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

Approximately 40 stakeholders attended the meeting, including officials from the Ministry, the Korea Tourism Organization, Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, general hospitals in Goyang, and companies specializing in attracting medical tourists. The Korea Tourism Organization shared the main achievements of its medical tourism promotion projects carried out this year. Afterwards, Byun Jeongwoo, Distinguished Professor at the Department of Tourism and Wellness at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, suggested measures to vitalize regional medical tourism, such as developing regionally specialized medical services and improving convenience for foreign patients entering the country. In addition, participants engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on various topics, including infrastructure development plans for medical tourism, institutional improvements related to the implementation of medical advertising, and the approval of medical coordinator visas.

The office of Assemblyman Lee Kiheon of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee also attended the council meeting, promising to support efforts to attract more medical tourists to Goyang by leveraging its strengths, such as proximity to international airports like Incheon and Gimpo and the presence of advanced general hospitals.

Seo Youngchung, Acting President of the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, "Last year, the number of foreign medical tourists visiting Korea was 1.17 million, and about 1 million of them, or 85%, visited Seoul. By forming councils with regions such as Goyang in Gyeonggi Province, Busan, and Incheon, which have well-developed infrastructure, we will strive to expand the attraction of foreign visitors to the high value-added medical tourism industry, alleviate the concentration in Seoul, and promote balanced regional development."