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🇰🇷  Treatment in South Korea

The best-known destination for cosmetic surgery, also for dental work and hair. Clinics that treat foreign patients must register with the government, and the government publishes what clinics charge for uninsured treatments such as implants.

Last reviewed · official reputable

EU rules

No

Currency

KRW

Language

Korean

Time zone

UTC+9

Check a clinic or a doctor in South Korea

Clinics

Medical Korea (KHIDI, for the Ministry of Health and Welfare): hospitals and clinics for foreign patients

The official portal for foreign patients, with a hospital search. Check that the exact clinic you are booked into is there.

Doctors and dentists: We found no public online register of individual doctors in Korea in English. Ask for the surgeon's specialist (board) certificate in the specialty of your operation, in writing, and check that the clinic is registered for foreign patients.

Rules worth knowing

  • Hospitals, clinics and agencies that attract foreign patients must register with the government's system; registrations last three years.
  • The government publishes, clinic by clinic, the prices charged for uninsured treatments on the HIRA website and the Health e-Eum app. In the 2026 release the average price of a dental implant was 1,181,000 won.
  • The UK Foreign Office reminds travellers going to Korea for cosmetic surgery or dental work that no procedure is risk-free, and to make sure their insurance covers complications and repatriation.

Treatments in South Korea

Hair transplant in South KoreaOne trip usually Dental implants and veneers in South Korea2 trips usually Weight-loss surgery in South KoreaAt least 10 days before flying home Cosmetic surgery in South KoreaAt least 7 days before flying home Laser eye and lens surgery in South KoreaOne trip usually

Official travel advice

Sources

Next review due 25 Jan 2027.