SEOUL – The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it will expand its pool of medical tourism interpreter-coordinators to about 1,000 this year — nearly ten times the current level — to better serve the rapidly growing number of foreign patients visiting the city.
To support the initiative, the city signed a memorandum of understanding with the K-Medical Tourism Association last week. Under the agreement, interpreter-coordinators affiliated with the association will be deployed to major medical institutions supported by the city. The two sides also plan to conduct training programs to strengthen interpretation skills for professionals in the field.
Medical tourism interpreter-coordinators will provide translation services during surgeries and treatment, while also offering guidance on treatment options and medical tourism services for foreign patients.
The city expects that increasing the number of coordinators will enable more comprehensive support, from pretreatment consultations to posttreatment follow-up care.
Data from the Korea Health Industry Development Institute shows that over 1,170,000 foreign medical tourists visited South Korea in 2024. Of them, 998,642, or about 85 percent, traveled to Seoul, marking the highest figure on record.
The rise in foreign national patients has coincided with the emergence of a new travel trend known as “Karecation,” a term combining “Korea,” “care” and “vacation.” The concept refers to trips in which visitors experience South Korea’s beauty or medical treatments alongside traditional tourism.
Industry observers say the trend reflects a shift in travel behavior, with tourists increasingly seeking experiences that combine leisure with personal health, appearance and lifestyle management rather than focusing solely on sightseeing or relaxation.
A report released last month by the Hana Institute of Finance found that spending on medical tourism rose 438 percent in 2024 compared with 2019. Dermatology-related services accounted for 57.4 percent of medical tourism consumption last year, up sharply from 21.1 percent in 2019, while the share of plastic surgery declined from 33.4 percent to 23.1 percent over the same period.
The shift suggests that demand is moving away from major surgical procedures toward short, minimally invasive treatments that allow patients to quickly return to daily activities.
To strengthen its position as a leading medical tourism destination, Seoul also plans to build an integrated platform providing information on hospitals as well as visa, accommodation and tourism services for foreign visitors. The city will also designate “medical-friendly accommodation” near hospitals where patients can stay long-term.
Kim Myung-ju, head of the city’s tourism department, said the city aims to enhance both trust and satisfaction among international patients.
“By expanding the pool of interpreter-coordinators and providing timely information, we will help ensure that foreign medical tourists visiting Seoul receive accurate medical services and enjoy a more satisfying stay,” Kim said.
