"Beyond K-Beauty to Longevity... Korea's Opportunity as a Global Medical Tourism Hub"

Era of 1.17 Million Medical Tourists: Brand Trust as a Key Advantage

Spotlight on Regenerative Medicine like Stem Cells, but Regulatory Limitations Remain

It has been assessed that Korea now has the opportunity to become a medical tourism hub focused on ‘longevity’—extending healthy life expectancy—beyond its established reputation in ‘K-beauty.’ However, experts point out that to expand into high value-added sectors such as regenerative medicine, rather than remaining centered on short-term visits for cosmetic purposes, a national-level strategy is necessary.

Christy Kim, Director of International Medical Services at Seoul Yes Hospital, stated at the “Medical Korea 2026” conference held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on March 19, “The anti-aging market is emerging, but there is not yet a clear number one. Korea is now presented with a golden opportunity.”

Christy Kim, Director of International Medical Services at Seoul Yes Hospital, speaks at the "Medical Korea 2026" conference held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 19th. Photo by Lee Sungmin

As of 2024, the number of foreign patients visiting Korea for medical purposes reached 1.17 million, a figure that has been increasing rapidly each year. About half of these patients visit for cosmetic purposes, such as dermatology. Kim explained, “In the past, countries like Singapore were the center of medical tourism, but now the trend is shifting toward choosing Korea as a trusted brand.”

The global healthcare market is quickly restructuring from basic anti-aging to the longevity industry, driven by advances in technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the spread of GLP-1-based therapeutics. According to Kim, the U.S. longevity treatment market was valued at $23.5 billion (approximately KRW 3.5 trillion) last year and is growing at an annual rate of over 10%.

Korea possesses multiple strengths in this market, including advanced hospital infrastructure, lower costs compared to the U.S. and Europe, skilled medical professionals, competitiveness in K-beauty, and the influence of K-culture. However, Kim emphasized, “Currently, medical tourism is still focused on short-term visits for dermatology and cosmetic procedures. There is a need to establish an integrated national brand strategy and a patient influx platform.”

Oh Hanjin, Head of the Balance Center at ID Hospital, is speaking at the 'Medical Korea 2026' conference held on the 19th at COEX, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Lee Sungmin

The necessity of advancing into fields such as cell regeneration and other cutting-edge regenerative medicine was also raised. Oh Hanjin, Head of the Balance Center at ID Hospital, explained, “In Korea, the main approach currently involves extracting and concentrating stem cells from blood or fat and injecting them into the skin, scalp, or joints. However, there is still a lack of objective data that clearly shows what changes occur after the procedure.”

He also pointed out regulatory issues. “The U.S. and Europe apply strict clinical standards but also operate expedited review systems, while Japan is opening its market quickly through conditional and time-limited approvals that allow for data supplementation. By contrast, Korea’s scope for research and clinical application is restricted, which is slowing progress,” he said.

He continued, “Regenerative medicine using stem cells requires research and data accumulation centered at university hospitals, but currently, the research environment is not sufficiently established. Legal measures must be put in place to systematically accumulate clinical data in university hospitals alongside regulatory easing.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.