The city of Seoul earned nearly 300 billion won (US$269.5 million) last year from foreign patients seeking medical services in the metropolis, marking a more than seven-fold increase from four years earlier, according to the city government on Sunday.
Hospitals and medical clinics based in Seoul made 289.9 billion won in 2013 from patients from abroad, city records showed. The amount accounted for 74 percent of the 393.4 billion won earned from foreign patients across the country.
Last year's medical income is more than a seven-fold increase from 38.2 billion won in 2009. The figure has sharply risen over the following years to 76.2 billion won in 2010, 132 billion won the next year and 194.7 billion won in 2012, according to the city.
The jump came from an increasing number of overseas patients, who totaled 178,519 last year compared to 40,607 in 2009.
A foreign patient spent an average of 2.2 million won for medical treatment, according to the city's tally.
Internal medicine was the most utilized sector among foreigners last year with a total of 40,100 of them seeking such medical services. Surgery and dermatology were the second- and third-most popular fields, followed by medical checkups and gynecology.
Chinese patients formed the largest group, followed by those from the U.S., Russia and Japan. People from the United Arab Emirates spent the most per person last year, with an average of 17.7 million won. Kazakhstani patients came next with 4.56 million won.
A total of 1,093 UAE patients received medical services in Seoul last year, a growth of 243 percent from a year earlier, which marked the steepest increase among any national group.
"Patients from a total of 191 foreign nations used South Korean medical services last year, more than 100 patients coming from 54 of the total (191) countries, and the numbers are increasing," a city official said. "We will expand our promotional measures since a majority of them come to Seoul." (Yonhap)
