Six in Ten Registered Hospitals for Foreign Patients Are in Seoul
In the 2022 statistics, 1,257 of Korea's 2,023 medical institutions registered to attract foreign patients were in Seoul, a share of 62.1%. From 2009, the first year in the source, to 2022, Seoul's share moved between 51.9% and 62.1%.
K-Medical Tourism Institute calculated the share for each year from the regional figures published by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. In 2017, when the share rose by 5.7 percentage points, the number of institutions in Seoul fell by 672. The denominator of the 2022 share includes 12 for Gyeonggi.
Contents
- What is Seoul's share of registered hospitals for foreign patients?
- When was Seoul's share of registered hospitals lowest and highest?
- What does Seoul's share of registered hospitals look like as counts beside the other 16 regions?
- Why did Seoul's share of registered hospitals rise in 2017?
- What is Seoul's share of registered hospitals once Incheon and Gyeonggi are added?
- Where can you find Seoul's share of registered hospitals after 2022?
- Frequently asked questions about Seoul's share of registered hospitals
- Related pages
- Sources
What is Seoul's share of registered hospitals for foreign patients?
It is 62.1% in the 2022 statistics. Of the national figure of 2,023, which is the sum of the 17 regions, 1,257 are in Seoul (1,257 ÷ 2,023).
| Year | Seoul | The other 16 regions | Nationwide (17 regions added) | Seoul's share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 823 | 630 | 1,453 | 56.6% |
| 2010 | 1,007 | 807 | 1,814 | 55.5% |
| 2011 | 1,159 | 932 | 2,091 | 55.4% |
| 2012 | 1,324 | 1,174 | 2,498 | 53.0% |
| 2013 | 1,418 | 1,272 | 2,690 | 52.7% |
| 2014 | 1,415 | 1,273 | 2,688 | 52.6% |
| 2015 | 1,461 | 1,352 | 2,813 | 51.9% |
| 2016 | 1,646 | 1,469 | 3,115 | 52.8% |
| 2017 | 974 | 690 | 1,664 | 58.5% |
| 2018 | 1,136 | 821 | 1,957 | 58.0% |
| 2019 | 1,211 | 840 | 2,051 | 59.0% |
| 2020 | 920 | 589 | 1,509 | 61.0% |
| 2021 | 939 | 647 | 1,586 | 59.2% |
| 2022 | 1,257 | 766 | 2,023 | 62.1% |
Seoul's share was above 50% in all 14 years in the source. In 2009, the first year, Seoul had 823 institutions and a share of 56.6% (823 ÷ 1,453).
The source has no nationwide row. How the total is put together, and the limits of the figures, are explained in How to Read Korea's Foreign Patient Hospital Statistics.
The denominator of the 2022 share includes 12 for Gyeonggi. Gyeonggi was 151 in 2021, and the source gives no reason why its 2022 value is so far from earlier years. Seoul's share in 2021 was 59.2% (939 ÷ 1,586).
When was Seoul's share of registered hospitals lowest and highest?
It was lowest in 2015 (51.9%) and highest in 2022 (62.1%). The two values are 10.2 percentage points apart (62.1 − 51.9).
The share went down from 56.6% in 2009 to 51.9% in 2015. Over that period Seoul grew 77.5%, from 823 to 1,461, while the other 16 regions grew 114.6%, from 630 to 1,352 (638 ÷ 823 and 722 ÷ 630).
In 2017 the share rose to 58.5%. It was then 59.0% in 2019, 61.0% in 2020 and 59.2% in 2021, and reached 62.1% in 2022.
What does Seoul's share of registered hospitals look like as counts beside the other 16 regions?
In 2022 Seoul had 1,257 institutions and the other 16 regions together had 766. Seoul had 491 more, or 1.64 times as many (1,257 ÷ 766).
| Region | Registered institutions | Share of national total | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | 1,257 | 62.1% | 1 |
| Busan | 181 | 8.9% | 2 |
| Daegu | 163 | 8.1% | 3 |
| Incheon | 104 | 5.1% | 4 |
| Gwangju | 96 | 4.7% | 5 |
| Jeju | 33 | 1.6% | 6 |
| Daejeon | 29 | 1.4% | 7 |
| Ulsan | 26 | 1.3% | 8 |
| Chungbuk | 25 | 1.2% | 9 |
| Chungnam | 25 | 1.2% | 9 |
| Gyeongnam | 21 | 1.0% | 11 |
| Jeonbuk | 17 | 0.8% | 12 |
| Gyeongbuk | 15 | 0.7% | 13 |
| Gyeonggi | 12 | 0.6% | 14 |
| Jeonnam | 10 | 0.5% | 15 |
| Gangwon | 8 | 0.4% | 16 |
| Sejong | 1 | 0.0% | 17 |
After Seoul come Busan with 181, Daegu with 163 and Incheon with 104. Seoul's figure is 6.9 times that of second-placed Busan (1,257 ÷ 181).
The source contains regional counts and nothing else. It does not explain why institutions are concentrated in Seoul, and K-Medical Tourism Institute does not guess at a reason. Figures by district or by type of hospital are not in these statistics either. Seoul's yearly figures and official contacts are in Seoul Medical Tourism.
Why did Seoul's share of registered hospitals rise in 2017?
Because Seoul fell by a smaller percentage than the other 16 regions. In 2017 Seoul fell 40.8% and the other 16 regions fell 53.0% (1 − 974 ÷ 1,646 and 1 − 690 ÷ 1,469).
| Row | 2016 | 2017 | Change | Percent change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul | 1,646 | 974 | -672 | -40.8% |
| The other 16 regions | 1,469 | 690 | -779 | -53.0% |
| Nationwide (17 regions added) | 3,115 | 1,664 | -1,451 | -46.6% |
The national figure fell 46.6%. Seoul, the numerator, shrank by a smaller percentage than the national total, the denominator, so the share rose 5.7 percentage points, from 52.8% in 2016 to 58.5% in 2017 (1,646 ÷ 3,115 and 974 ÷ 1,664).
In number of institutions Seoul lost 672, the most of the 17 regions. 2017 was a year in which Seoul's count and Seoul's share moved in opposite directions.
That much is confirmed by division alone. The source does not say why Seoul's percentage fall was smaller than that of other regions. The renewal of registrations that took place in 2017 is covered in Why Korea's Registered Hospitals Fell from 3,115 to 1,664 in 2017.
What is Seoul's share of registered hospitals once Incheon and Gyeonggi are added?
It is 67.9% in the 2022 statistics. That is the sum of 1,257 in Seoul, 104 in Incheon and 12 in Gyeonggi, 1,373 in all, divided by the national 2,023.
| Year | Seoul | Incheon | Gyeonggi | Three regions | Combined share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 823 | 48 | 164 | 1,035 | 71.2% |
| 2010 | 1,007 | 59 | 206 | 1,272 | 70.1% |
| 2011 | 1,159 | 75 | 223 | 1,457 | 69.7% |
| 2012 | 1,324 | 90 | 298 | 1,712 | 68.5% |
| 2013 | 1,418 | 93 | 315 | 1,826 | 67.9% |
| 2014 | 1,415 | 93 | 316 | 1,824 | 67.9% |
| 2015 | 1,461 | 97 | 327 | 1,885 | 67.0% |
| 2016 | 1,646 | 103 | 356 | 2,105 | 67.6% |
| 2017 | 974 | 53 | 158 | 1,185 | 71.2% |
| 2018 | 1,136 | 77 | 195 | 1,408 | 71.9% |
| 2019 | 1,211 | 86 | 198 | 1,495 | 72.9% |
| 2020 | 920 | 77 | 140 | 1,137 | 75.3% |
| 2021 | 939 | 81 | 151 | 1,171 | 73.8% |
| 2022 | 1,257 | 104 | 12 | 1,373 | 67.9% |
This value includes 12 for Gyeonggi. Gyeonggi was 151 in 2021, when the combined share of the three regions was 73.8% (1,171 ÷ 1,586). The source gives no reason why Gyeonggi's 2022 value is so far from earlier years.
The combined share was highest in 2020 (75.3%) and lowest in 2015 (67.0%). When a 2022 figure for the three regions is compared with another year, it is safer to state the Gyeonggi value alongside it. Yearly figures for Incheon and Gyeonggi are in Incheon and Gyeonggi Medical Tourism.
Where can you find Seoul's share of registered hospitals after 2022?
It can be counted from the per-institution list as of 21 Jul 2026, where it is 62.8%. Of the 4,188 medical institutions on the list, 2,632 are in Seoul (2,632 ÷ 4,188).
| Source | Seoul | Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi | Nationwide | Seoul's share | Combined share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 statistics | 1,257 | 1,373 | 2,023 | 62.1% | 67.9% |
| 21 Jul 2026 list (medical institutions) | 2,632 | 3,301 | 4,188 | 62.8% | 78.8% |
The 62.1% in the 2022 statistics and the 62.8% on the list can only be set side by side. The two sources are built differently, so K-Medical Tourism Institute does not calculate a change or a growth rate between them. The list has one row for each institution whose status was recorded as "maintained" on the reference date, while the yearly statistics do not explain what they count.
On the list, Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi together have a share of 78.8% (3,301 ÷ 4,188). 33 of the list's 6,921 rows have the word "test" in the institution or representative name, so the true number of institutions may be slightly lower. Figures for all 17 regions are in Korea Medical Tourism Hospitals by Region.
Frequently asked questions about Seoul's share of registered hospitals
Has Seoul's share of registered hospitals risen every year?
No. It went down from 56.6% in 2009 to 51.9% in 2015, and it was 62.1% in 2022.
Why are so many registered hospitals in Seoul?
The source cannot answer that. The statistics give counts by region and no explanation. K-Medical Tourism Institute does not add a reason that is not in the data.
Is Seoul's share of registered hospitals the same as its share of foreign patients?
No, they are different figures. The share here is calculated from the number of registered medical institutions, and these statistics contain no patient numbers.
Can you see the number of registered hospitals in each Seoul district?
Not from the yearly statistics. The source gives values for the 17 regions only.
What should you state when quoting Seoul's share for 2022?
That the national figure is the sum of the 17 regions, and that it includes 12 for Gyeonggi. Gyeonggi was 151 in 2021.
Sources
- KHIDI: Medical institutions registered to attract foreign patients, by year and region (as of 31 Dec 2022, in Korean) Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), Korean Public Data Portal · 13 Dec 2023 · data as of 31 Dec 2022, no restriction on reuse stated
- KHIDI: List of registered institutions and facilitators for foreign patients (as of 21 Jul 2026, in Korean) Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), Korean Public Data Portal · 21 Jul 2026 · per-institution list, data as of 21 Jul 2026
Every address was opened and checked on 5 Oct 2026. Shares and changes were calculated from the source values, and the formulas are shown in the text.