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Healthcare in South Korea: cost & waiting times
Single national insurerA single National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) covers the whole population, including foreigners resident for over six months. Patients pay a share of costs, can visit clinics and hospitals directly, and large tertiary hospitals need a referral to keep costs down. Korea's hospitals are modern and widely used by medical tourists.
Emergency number: Ambulance/Fire 119 · Police 112 · Travel hotline 1330
How residents get care
- Enrol in NHIS — Citizens and long-term foreign residents are enrolled automatically or after six months.
- Visit a local clinic — Clinics (uiwon) take walk-ins; you pay a co-payment.
- Large hospitals by referral — University hospitals need a referral for the insured rate.
- Medical tourism — International clinics at major hospitals help foreign patients.
Official waiting-time source
Korea doesn't publish waiting times; access is generally fast, though top university hospitals can have waits for some specialists.
No national waiting-time register ↗
Typical private costs
Typical self-pay prices — for an exact figure use the official links above or ask a clinic for a written quote.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Clinic visit (uninsured) | ₩30,000–₩60,000 |
| University hospital specialist visit (uninsured) | ₩60,000–₩150,000 |
| MRI (uninsured) | ₩400,000–₩800,000 |
| Cataract surgery, per eye (private) | ₩2,200,000–₩3,100,000 |
| Hip replacement (private) | ₩11,000,000–₩14,000,000 |
Typical waits & prices by procedure
Typical averages for comparison, not quotes. Public care is free or nominal at the point of use unless noted. Private care has no standard queue — availability depends on the provider. Where an official statistic exists (UK, Ireland, Poland) the interactive guide shows it, dated and sourced.
| Procedure | Typical public wait | Typical private price |
|---|---|---|
| GP / primary-care appointment | ~2 days | ₩54,000–₩110,000 |
| Specialist consultation (first) | ~27 days | ₩160,000–₩270,000 |
| Cardiology (heart) appointment | ~27 days | ₩200,000–₩310,000 |
| Dermatology (skin) appointment | ~24 days | ₩160,000–₩270,000 |
| ENT (ear, nose & throat) appointment | ~35 days | ₩180,000–₩270,000 |
| Gastroenterology (gut) appointment | ~26 days | ₩180,000–₩290,000 |
| General surgery appointment | ~29 days | ₩180,000–₩270,000 |
| Gynaecology appointment | ~32 days | ₩180,000–₩290,000 |
| Neurology (brain & nerves) appointment | ~30 days | ₩210,000–₩310,000 |
| Ophthalmology (eyes) appointment | ~24 days | ₩160,000–₩250,000 |
| Orthopaedic (bones & joints) appointment | ~32 days | ₩180,000–₩270,000 |
| Respiratory (lungs) appointment | ~23 days | ₩180,000–₩290,000 |
| Rheumatology appointment | ~25 days | ₩180,000–₩290,000 |
| Urology appointment | ~28 days | ₩180,000–₩270,000 |
| Plastic surgery appointment | ~32 days | ₩130,000–₩220,000 |
| Oral surgery appointment | ~36 days | ₩110,000–₩220,000 |
| Other medical specialist (diabetes, hormones, kidneys…) | ~25 days | ₩180,000–₩290,000 |
| Children's specialist (paediatrics) appointment | ~27 days | ₩180,000–₩290,000 |
| Psychiatrist appointment | ~21 days | ₩270,000–₩400,000 |
| Elderly care (geriatrics) appointment | ~18 days | ₩180,000–₩290,000 |
| MRI scan (one area) | ~13 days | ₩310,000–₩540,000 |
| CT scan | ~13 days | ₩360,000–₩630,000 |
| X-ray | ~4 days | ₩72,000–₩130,000 |
| Ultrasound scan | ~8 days | ₩130,000–₩250,000 |
| Bone density (DEXA) scan | ~13 days | ₩130,000–₩220,000 |
| Mammogram (breast X-ray) | ~8 days | ₩180,000–₩310,000 |
| Gastroscopy / endoscopy | ~19 days | ₩1,400,000–₩2,200,000 |
| Colonoscopy | ~21 days | ₩1,600,000–₩2,500,000 |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy | ~19 days | ₩810,000–₩1,300,000 |
| Echocardiogram | ~13 days | ₩220,000–₩380,000 |
| 24-hour heart monitor (Holter ECG) | ~13 days | ₩220,000–₩400,000 |
| Coronary angiogram | ~13 days | ₩2,200,000–₩3,400,000 |
| Cystoscopy (bladder camera) | ~19 days | ₩990,000–₩1,600,000 |
| Hysteroscopy (womb camera) | ~21 days | ₩1,300,000–₩2,200,000 |
| Colposcopy | ~8 days | ₩360,000–₩630,000 |
| Sleep study | ~27 days | ₩450,000–₩900,000 |
| EEG (brain activity test) | ~17 days | ₩310,000–₩580,000 |
| Nerve conduction study | ~21 days | ₩310,000–₩580,000 |
| Allergy testing | ~27 days | ₩220,000–₩400,000 |
| Cataract surgery (per eye) | ~38 days | ₩2,200,000–₩3,100,000 |
| YAG laser capsulotomy (after cataract) | ~21 days | ₩630,000–₩990,000 |
| Squint surgery | ~45 days | ₩2,700,000–₩4,000,000 |
| Eye injection (wet macular degeneration), per injection | ~8 days | ₩720,000–₩1,100,000 |
| Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) | ~54 days | ₩2,700,000–₩4,000,000 |
| Laser eye surgery (both eyes) | not generally available | ₩1,800,000–₩4,000,000 |
| Knee arthroscopy | ~53 days | ₩4,000,000–₩5,800,000 |
| ACL (knee ligament) reconstruction | ~63 days | ₩5,800,000–₩7,600,000 |
| Hip replacement | ~63 days | ₩11,000,000–₩14,000,000 |
| Knee replacement | ~71 days | ₩12,000,000–₩15,000,000 |
| Partial knee replacement | ~69 days | ₩9,400,000–₩13,000,000 |
| Shoulder replacement | ~69 days | ₩10,000,000–₩14,000,000 |
| Rotator cuff repair (shoulder) | ~53 days | ₩5,800,000–₩8,100,000 |
| Carpal tunnel release | ~50 days | ₩1,600,000–₩2,400,000 |
| Trigger finger release | ~48 days | ₩1,300,000–₩2,100,000 |
| Dupuytren's contracture surgery | ~54 days | ₩2,500,000–₩3,800,000 |
| Bunion surgery | ~53 days | ₩3,600,000–₩4,900,000 |
| Joint steroid injection | ~27 days | ₩310,000–₩630,000 |
| Lumbar disc surgery (discectomy) | ~57 days | ₩8,100,000–₩12,000,000 |
| Spinal decompression (spinal stenosis) | ~60 days | ₩7,600,000–₩11,000,000 |
| Inguinal hernia repair | ~46 days | ₩2,700,000–₩4,000,000 |
| Umbilical hernia repair | ~45 days | ₩2,300,000–₩3,200,000 |
| Gallbladder removal | ~55 days | ₩4,900,000–₩7,200,000 |
| Haemorrhoid (piles) surgery | ~45 days | ₩2,200,000–₩3,200,000 |
| Lump or cyst removal (lipoma) | ~36 days | ₩720,000–₩1,400,000 |
| Thyroid surgery (thyroidectomy) | ~54 days | ₩5,800,000–₩8,100,000 |
| Weight-loss surgery (gastric sleeve) | ~110 days | ₩8,500,000–₩11,000,000 |
| Tonsillectomy | ~53 days | ₩2,700,000–₩3,600,000 |
| Septoplasty (nasal septum) | ~60 days | ₩3,100,000–₩4,500,000 |
| Sinus surgery (FESS) | ~60 days | ₩4,000,000–₩5,800,000 |
| Grommets (ear tubes) | ~45 days | ₩1,800,000–₩2,700,000 |
| Vasectomy | ~21 days | ₩360,000–₩630,000 |
| Prostate surgery (TURP) | ~54 days | ₩7,200,000–₩10,000,000 |
| Kidney stone removal (ureteroscopy) | ~36 days | ₩4,500,000–₩6,700,000 |
| Circumcision (adult) | ~45 days | ₩1,600,000–₩2,500,000 |
| Hysterectomy | ~42 days | ₩6,300,000–₩9,400,000 |
| Diagnostic laparoscopy (e.g. endometriosis) | ~45 days | ₩2,700,000–₩4,000,000 |
| Endometrial ablation (heavy periods) | ~42 days | ₩2,200,000–₩3,100,000 |
| Ovarian cyst removal | ~45 days | ₩3,600,000–₩5,400,000 |
| Female sterilisation | ~45 days | ₩2,200,000–₩3,100,000 |
| Wisdom tooth removal (in hospital) | ~54 days | ₩1,100,000–₩2,200,000 |
| Mole or skin lesion removal | ~30 days | ₩360,000–₩900,000 |
| Breast reduction | ~110 days | ₩4,900,000–₩7,200,000 |
| Varicose vein removal | ~42 days | ₩2,700,000–₩4,000,000 |
| Pacemaker fitting | ~18 days | ₩8,100,000–₩12,000,000 |
| Coronary angioplasty & stent | ~18 days | ₩7,200,000–₩11,000,000 |
| Heart rhythm ablation (AF) | ~60 days | ₩13,000,000–₩18,000,000 |
| Heart bypass surgery (CABG) | ~27 days | ₩15,000,000–₩22,000,000 |
| Heart valve replacement | ~27 days | ₩18,000,000–₩27,000,000 |
| Physiotherapy session | ~13 days | ₩45,000–₩81,000 |
Prescriptions
Prescriptions are covered by NHIS with a co-payment at the pharmacy.
Dental care
Basic dental care is covered by NHIS; implants are covered for older people, otherwise private.
Adult public dental cover: subsidised. Typical self-pay prices:
| Treatment | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Check-up + X-rays | ₩32,385–₩72,870 |
| Scale & polish | ₩48,580–₩97,160 |
| Filling | ₩72,870–₩161,935 |
| Extraction | ₩72,870–₩202,420 |
| Root canal | ₩242,905–₩566,780 |
| Crown | ₩323,875–₩728,715 |
| Implant (post only) | ₩971,620–₩2,024,210 |
| Implant + crown | ₩1,619,370–₩2,833,900 |
| Veneer (per tooth) | ₩323,875–₩728,715 |
| Full denture (per arch) | ₩404,845–₩971,620 |
Finding a doctor or specialist
Well-known hospital groups (listed, not vetted or ranked):
- Samsung Medical Center ↗
- Asan Medical Center ↗
- Seoul National University Hospital ↗
- Severance Hospital ↗
Check a provider's inspection rating or registration with HIRA — Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service ↗.
Health insurance
Insurers and schemes people in South Korea commonly use, and cover for visitors. Listed for comparison, not recommended — check the policy wording yourself.
| Insurer | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National Health Insurance Service ↗ | National / public scheme | Covers the whole population and long-term foreign residents. |
| Samsung Fire & Marine ↗ | Local health insurer | Private and travel insurance. |
| DB Insurance ↗ | Local health insurer | Private insurance. |
| Hyundai Marine & Fire ↗ | Local health insurer | Private insurance. |
Visiting South Korea?
Your entitlement: None — no agreement with the UK and the GHIC isn't valid. Visitors pay in full.
EHIC / GHIC: EHIC/GHIC not valid.
Pharmacies: Pharmacies (yakguk) are everywhere; some open late.
Insurance: Travel insurance recommended.
How to book
Useful links
- National Health Insurance Service ↗
- Medical Korea — support for international patients ↗
- Korea travel hotline (1330) ↗
Content last checked: 2026-10-03. Figures are typical/official-source references, not quotes — see the links above for the current real number.