🏥 Getting Sick in Korea: The Complete Hospital Guide for Foreigners

⚡ Emergency Quick Reference

💡 Key point: For a true emergency (when you need an ambulance), call 119. It dispatches an ambulance and also provides emergency medical advice and hospital guidance in one call. If you just need urgent interpretation, 1330 is available 24/7.

1. Understanding Korea's medical system

Korean medical institutions are roughly divided into levels:

If possible, foreigners will find it easier to first use a general or top-level hospital with an International Clinic. International clinics often provide interpretation or coordinator support, but costs may apply or advance booking may be required, depending on the hospital, language, and type of care.

2. Major hospitals with foreign-language care (Seoul)

"Big 5" hospital international clinics

Other major Seoul hospitals

• Gangnam Severance Hospital (Gangnam-gu) — English, Chinese

• Korea University Anam Hospital (Seongbuk-gu) — English, Chinese

• Hanyang University Hospital (Seongdong-gu) — English, Chinese

• Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital (Yangcheon-gu) — English

⚠️ Contacts and hours may change depending on the hospital. We recommend double-checking the hospital's official (English) website or the international clinic before visiting.

3. Major hospitals with foreign-language care (outside Seoul)

4. Step-by-step procedure

STEP 1 — Booking

• Book via the hospital's English webpage or the international clinic's direct line

• Large hospitals allow online booking (English forms provided)

• Same-day on-site registration is possible (waiting times may be long)

STEP 2 — What to bring

• Passport (required for ID)

• Current medications or prescriptions (in English if possible)

• Travel insurance certificate (if applicable)

• A note of your symptoms (Korean + English recommended)

STEP 3 — Registration & consultation

• Register at the international clinic desk

• A coordinator or interpreter guides you to the exam room

• After the consultation, a prescription is issued → filled at an in-hospital or nearby pharmacy

STEP 4 — Payment

• Credit cards are accepted in most places

• Without insurance, you pay the full cost on-site

• Request a receipt/medical certificate → needed to claim insurance after returning home

5. Cost guide (without insurance, for reference)

These are rough estimates that vary greatly by hospital, symptoms, and test scope. Using a large hospital's international services may add coordinator fees, so ask about costs in advance if possible.

6. Health insurance eligibility for foreigners

✅ Eligible

• Foreigners/overseas Koreans staying 6+ months are subject to mandatory National Health Insurance enrollment

• However, some statuses — study (D-2), non-professional employment (E-9), permanent residence (F-5), marriage migration (F-6), etc. — enroll right after entry

• If employed, you're automatically processed as a workplace subscriber

• After enrollment, your medical cost burden drops significantly (savings vary by item)

❌ Not eligible

• Short-term tourist visa (C-3) holders

• Visa-free / short-term travelers (under 6 months)

Alternatives for short-term travelers

• Strongly consider buying travel insurance before departure

• Keep receipts, medical certificates, and records to claim after returning home

• Credit-card travel insurance add-ons can also be used

📌 Health insurance rules may be revised. Check the latest with the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS, 1577-1000) or foreigner-specific guidance.

7. Handling emergencies

Phone numbers by situation

How to speak in English when calling 119

• "Hello, I need an ambulance."

• "I am at [place name / address]."

• "I am a foreigner. Can you speak English?"

→ When you call 119, interpretation services (English, etc.) can be connected. Conveying your location accurately is the most important thing.

Finding an ER / late-night care

• Emergency Medical Information app (e-gen) / www.e-gen.or.kr — open hospitals/pharmacies, the nearest ER, real-time bed info (official service of the National Emergency Medical Center)

• To find an ER or open hospital, use 119 or e-gen.

8. Useful apps & services

9. Special situations

🦷 Dental

• Dental departments operate within large hospitals' international clinics

• English-speaking dental clinics cluster in the Gangnam dental district (around Gangnam Station)

• Cost (without insurance): scaling 50,000–80,000 KRW / implant 1,000,000–2,000,000 KRW

💆 Dermatology (medical tourism)

• Many English-speaking dermatology clinics around Gangnam/Hongdae

• Many run medical-tourism packages for foreigners

• Popular procedures: laser toning, Botox, filler, lifting

🤰 Obstetrics & childbirth

• Foreigners can give birth at Korean hospitals

• Cost (reference): natural birth 2–4 million KRW / cesarean 3–5 million KRW

• Some international hospitals offer English-language childbirth packages

🌿 Korean medicine clinic (hanuiwon)

• Many accept foreign patients

• Experience traditional Korean medicine — acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine

• With a translation app, even local clinics are usable

💊 Pharmacy tips

• In Korea, prescription drugs are bought at a pharmacy with the prescription you receive after a consultation.

• OTC drugs like cold medicine, digestives, and painkillers can be bought directly at a pharmacy.

• However, antibiotics and prescription-only drugs require a prescription.

• Pharmacies are usually open on weekday daytimes. For late nights/holidays, check open pharmacies in the e-gen app.

10. Good-to-know tips

• Large hospitals' international clinics often provide interpretation/coordinator support (costs/advance booking may apply depending on the hospital).

• You can request an English-language prescription — useful for buying medicine after returning home.

• If it's not an emergency, weekday mornings have shorter waits than weekends.

• When searching, use keywords like "international clinic" or "foreigner care available."

• Request your medical records on CD or as a file to give to your doctor back home.

• For medical-tourism visits, you can apply for a medical tourism visa (C-3-M).

• If interpretation breaks down, remember 1330 (24/7); for residence/living questions, 1345.

📅 Updated: 2026 · Emergency numbers and insurance rules were checked against official sources, but each hospital's contacts, hours, and costs may change, so please re-confirm before visiting. This is general information; for specific care, always consult medical professionals.