Medical-Tourism Support and Dispute Channels in Korea

If you have a concern about medical care or a service arranged during a visit to South Korea, first identify whether it is a clinical dispute, a question about foreign-patient services, or a commercial billing issue. Different organizations handle different matters. This is general procedural information, not legal advice and not a determination that malpractice occurred.

For a medical-care dispute

The Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency (K-MEDI) provides counseling and operates a statutory mediation and arbitration process for medical disputes. The Medical Dispute Mediation Act describes how an application is filed and how the respondent is notified.

Under Article 27, a respondent generally has 14 days after receiving the application to notify K-MEDI that they will participate; if they do not, the application is ordinarily dismissed. The Act provides exceptions for specified serious cases, including death, at least one month of unconsciousness, and certain severe disabilities. Therefore, it is not accurate to say that every case always requires both parties' advance consent, nor that every case automatically proceeds. Ask K-MEDI which current rule applies to your situation.

K-MEDI lists its Medical Dispute Counseling Center at +82-2-1670-2545 and provides telephone, online, visiting, and mail/fax counseling options. Check its current official page for operating hours, application forms, language support, and any eligibility requirements before filing.

For questions about foreign-patient services

Medical Korea and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute provide information for international patients and the foreign-patient attraction system. These services can direct you to relevant information, but they are not a substitute for a clinician's assessment, a lawyer's advice, or K-MEDI's statutory dispute process.

The Foreign Patient Attraction Act separately addresses registration of medical institutions that attract foreign patients and businesses that arrange or attract them. If your concern involves an intermediary, identify the legal entity and ask the competent local or provincial authority about its registration status. Do not assume that a clinic's registration automatically covers a separate agency.

Organize information before contacting an agency

Write down the timeline, provider names, treatment dates, what you were told, and what outcome you are seeking. Keep copies of estimates, consent forms, invoices, medical records, prescriptions, and relevant messages. Store original documents safely and send copies unless the official process specifically requests originals.

For urgent or worsening symptoms, contact your treating provider or local emergency services immediately. A dispute or support hotline cannot provide emergency treatment.

If you are unsure which route fits your concern, describe the issue to the official counseling service and ask which agency accepts that type of filing. Keep a record of the date and the reference number for each inquiry. The agencies may explain their process, but they do not decide clinical urgency or replace independent legal advice.