SEOUL, Feb 2 — Four in 10 foreigners visiting South Korea for medical treatment said the country’s culture influenced their decision, according to a survey reported by Yonhap news agency on Sunday.
The survey, conducted by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, found that over 41 per cent of respondents acknowledged South Korea’s cultural appeal as a factor in choosing the country for medical services.
The study was based on responses from 1,500 foreign patients who received medical treatment at local hospitals in 2023.
The proportion of foreign patients citing cultural influence was 24.3 per cent in 2021, but surged to 49.7 per cent in 2022 as the Covid-19 pandemic eased and international patient numbers rebounded.
By region, nearly 70 per cent of medical tourists from Southeast Asia and the Middle East reported being influenced by South Korea’s culture, while only around 20 per cent of Russian patients expressed the same sentiment. — Bernama-Yonhap