Seoul’s Gangseo-gu is seeking to attract more patients from Mongolia for fertility, dental and serious illness treatments as its medical tourism sector recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The district office said Tuesday that its delegation representing the public and medical sector has signed five memorandums of understanding, secured treatment reservations for two patients, and recorded 156 consultations,
Gangseo-gu sent a delegation representing nine medical and support institutions to Mongolia from Oct. 26 to Thursday as part of the Gangseo Miracle Medi Special Zone project.
Participants included Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Wooridul Hospital, MizMedi Hospital and Magok Cha Women’s Clinic.
More than 5,000 foreign patients visited the district last year, compared with over 6,000 in 2019, a district official who joined a recent promotional delegation to Mongolia told The Korea Herald. Arrivals fell sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic before recovering.
"Interest remains strong in cosmetic treatments, but we are also working to attract patients for dental care, fertility treatment and serious illnesses," said Lee Seung-jun, a district official who oversees medical tourism.
“We chose Mongolia for this visit because Korean hospitals have shown growing interest in the country. Many Mongolian patients already travel to Korea for medical care,” the official said.
"Its proximity to Korea also makes it a promising market."
South Korea received a record 2.01 million foreign patients in 2025, up 71.9 percent from a year earlier, according to government data.
Mongolian patients visiting Korea rose 38.3 percent to 35,586 in 2025, making Mongolia the seventh-largest source market.
yunapark@heraldcorp.com
