Repositioning Korea’s Tourism Through “K-MediWell”
Yanolja Research Unveils Strategies for Advancing Medical and Wellness Tourism

Yanolja Research, a leading travel and tourism think tank led by Dr. SooCheong (Shawn) Jang, successfully hosted a seminar titled “Strategic Directions and Activation Measures for Inbound Medical and Wellness Tourism” on March 20th at Halla Hall, Seoul Dragon City. The event was co-organized with the CHRIBA Institute at Purdue University and the H&T Analytics Center at Kyung Hee University.

The seminar was convened to address structural challenges in Korea’s tourism sector—namely, the widening tourism deficit driven by a surge in outbound travel by Korean nationals, and the declining per capita expenditure of inbound tourists, despite a quantitative recovery in international arrivals. Against this backdrop, participants identified medical and wellness tourism as a high-value strategic segment capable of driving qualitative advancement in the industry, and discussed a paradigm shift toward its integrated development.

“From Fragmentation to Integration: Building the ‘K-MediWell’ Ecosystem”

In the keynote presentation, Dr. Jang projected that the global medical tourism market will reach USD 996.9 billion by 2036, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3%. He emphasized that “the era in which medical services and wellness operate in silos has come to an end.”

Dr. Jang highlighted medical and wellness tourism as a critical solution to Korea’s tourism deficit, citing its characteristics of high per capita spending, extended length of stay, and strong repeat visitation. In 2024, Korea attracted 1.17 million international patients, generating at least KRW 1.4 trillion in medical expenditures alone—an all-time high.

However, he pointed out key structural limitations: the failure to effectively link rising demand for medical tourism with wellness experiences, the overwhelming dominance of domestic visitors in the wellness segment (94.3%), and significant concentration in specific medical specialties (dermatology and plastic surgery) and regions (Seoul accounting for 85.4%).

As a strategic response, Dr. Jang proposed the establishment of a fully integrated healthcare tourism value chain—“K-MediWell”—spanning prevention, treatment, and post-care management. He noted that “to emerge as a global healthcare tourism hub, Korea must seamlessly connect inbound tourists attracted by K-culture with world-class medical services and regionally distinctive natural and traditional wellness resources.”

“Integrated National Branding and Distribution Innovation via ‘MediWell Concierge’”

In the second session, Professor Kyuwan Choi of Kyung Hee University outlined actionable strategies across three dimensions: customer and product strategy, channel (distribution) strategy, and branding and promotion.

Professor Choi stressed the importance of data-driven prioritization of key source markets—China, Japan, the United States, Taiwan, and Singapore—based on attractiveness and growth potential. He further emphasized the need for differentiated portfolio strategies tailored to heterogeneous consumer preferences: aesthetic medical services for Asian markets, and diversified clinical offerings for the U.S. market.

A critical priority, he argued, is the transition from fragmented, product-level marketing to a cohesive national branding framework. Through a unified “K-MediWell” brand, Korea must transcend its narrow image centered on cosmetic procedures and communicate a broader value proposition encompassing health screenings, well-aging, and nature- and tradition-based healing resources.

In terms of distribution, Professor Choi called for a structural transformation of existing foreign patient facilitators—currently limited to interpretation and booking support—into professional “MediWell concierges” equipped with advanced planning capabilities and domain expertise. Such evolution, he noted, is essential to creating an efficient ecosystem that seamlessly connects demand and supply, thereby enhancing overall industry value.

Policy, Industry, and Regional Agendas: Key Takeaways from the Panel Discussion

The panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Jang, brought together stakeholders from policy, industry, and academia, including former Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Geunhyuk Ryu, Korea Tourism Organization official Dongseok Lee, Professor Donghee Kim of Sookmyung Women’s University, Senior Research Fellow Jiyoon Yoo of the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, Dr. Jinguk Kim (CEO of BNVIIT Eye Clinic and Chairman of the Korea Medical Tourism Promotion Association), and Youngjong Shin, CEO of Mediround Inc.

Key discussion points included:

• Strengthening inter-ministerial coordination to overcome legal and institutional fragmentation between healthcare, tourism, and wellness sectors, and to establish an integrated ecosystem
• Expanding B2B linkages and fostering legally compliant, high-quality facilitators to address the limitations of high-cost B2C marketing
• Developing seamless, one-stop packages that integrate medical treatment with post-care tourism activities such as rest and shopping

Participants also addressed pressing challenges and opportunities, including:

• The impact of the termination of VAT refunds on cosmetic procedures for foreign patients
• The legalization of telemedicine and the enactment of a Healing Tourism Industry Promotion Act
• The development of integrated public-private platforms, along with digital transformation (DX) and AI-driven platform strategies

The panel reached a consensus that medical and wellness tourism should be positioned not merely as a niche segment, but as a strategic industry capable of fundamentally transforming Korea’s tourism structure.

Yanolja Research stated, “We will continue to advance in-depth research and policy recommendations to support paradigm shifts and enhance the global competitiveness of Korea’s tourism industry, including the medical and wellness tourism sector.”