GANGWON-DO < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

With a five-fold increase in the number of foreign patients visiting the province in 2011 as compared to 2010, Gangwon Province is emerging as an attractive medical tourism destination in Northeast Asia.

The province said on Jan. 8th that the number of foreign patients has grown a whopping 524% to 2,973 in 2011 from 567 in 2010. Patients visiting six hospitals registered as medical institutions specialized in treating foreign patients in Gangwon Province have risen 219% to 782 in 2011 from a year earlier.

Their nationality varies; the Japanese have the biggest share of 32% (253) followed by 19% of the Chinese (152), 15% of Mongolians (116), 13% of Russians (102) and 6% of southeastern Asians (48).

The number of foreign patients visiting Korea through ocean and green medical tourism product development program is estimated at 2,191.

The figure is classified into 840 patients for visiting Deep Ocean Water Thalasso Therapy Center, 795 for oriental medical treatment using spa water and 220 for participating in the program for treating modern illnesses.

Gangwon Province's aggressive efforts to select medical tourism, secure professional workforces and develop medical products are pointed as the driving force behind its remarkable development into the major player in medical tourism in northeastern Asia.

Another factor is its various marketing strategy on the international stage utilizing Korea's hosting 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to publicize its medical tourism and inviting medical professionals to the designated hospitals for familiarization tour.

Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, one of the designated hospitals in Gangwon, sees a growing number of celebrities to travel all the way to get treatment through continuous cooperation with partner hospitals in Mongolia. Gangneung Asan Hospital also enjoys the benefit from the increasing number of foreign patients boosted by its medical tourism program using DBS cruise ferry.

An official at the Gangwon Provincial Government Office said, "We will do our best to attract foreign patients through development of customized medical programs and promotion."

Source Text

Source: Yonhap News (Jan. 8, 2012)

**This is an English translation of a Korean news article.