Korea’s healthcare system runs on three main pillars: a tiered structure of medical facilities, a national health insurance scheme, and a national health screening program. If you are visiting a hospital in Korea for the first time, it can feel overwhelming to know where to start, or how insurance works. By the time you finish reading this guide, you will have a clear picture of which type of facility to visit and when, and how to keep your costs down. Specific figures such as insurance premiums change every year, so please confirm the latest information with the Immigration Contact Center (1345) or the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS, 1577-1000) before applying for anything.
Types of Medical Facilities
Korean medical facilities are divided into four main levels based on size and function.
Primary Care (Clinics and Public Health Centers)
- Clinics (의원, uiwon): Small neighborhood clinics you will spot on almost every street. They operate by specialty: internal medicine, pediatrics, ear-nose-throat, dermatology, orthopedics, and more. This is the right place to start for mild symptoms such as a cold, headache, or stomach trouble.
- Public Health Centers (보건소/보건지소, bogeonso/bogeonijiso): Run by the local district or county government. Fees are very low, and services include vaccinations and health screenings.
Secondary Care (Hospitals and General Hospitals)
- Hospitals (병원, byeongwon): Facilities with 30 or more inpatient beds. Visit here when a clinic cannot fully handle your condition or when you need inpatient treatment.
- General Hospitals (종합병원, jonghap byeongwon): Multi-specialty facilities with 100 or more beds. You can be referred here with a referral letter from a clinic.
Tertiary Care (Advanced General Hospitals)
Large hospitals such as university hospitals capable of highly specialized treatment. These handle serious and complex conditions. In principle, you need a referral letter from a lower-level facility to receive full health insurance coverage here.
How to Use Medical Facilities Step by Step
For a typical outpatient visit, the general flow looks like this:
- Visit a neighborhood clinic (primary care) → Consultation and prescription
- Get a referral letter if needed → Visit a secondary hospital or general hospital
- Get an additional referral if the condition is serious → Visit a tertiary advanced general hospital
Patients in emergencies and pregnant women can go directly to an emergency room at any level, skipping this process entirely.
Health Insurance
What Is Health Insurance Here?
Korea has a public health insurance system called the National Health Insurance (국민건강보험, Gungmin Geongang Boheom). If you are enrolled, the government covers a significant portion of your medical bills and you pay only a part yourself.
Who Can Join: Foreigners and Refugees
| Residency Situation | How You Join |
|---|---|
| Employed at a workplace | Workplace subscriber (premium shared with employer) |
| Not employed | Local subscriber (mandatory enrollment after 6 months of stay in Korea) |
| Recognized refugee (visa F-2-4) | Same standard as Korean nationals (average premium rule does not apply) |
| Family member of recognized refugee (visa F-1-16) | Same standard as Korean nationals |
Paying Your Premium
- Deadline: By the 25th of each month for the previous month’s premium.
- Workplace subscribers have the premium automatically deducted from their salary.
- Local subscribers receive a billing notice and can pay at a bank, convenience store, or via internet banking.
Getting Care Without Insurance
You can still receive medical treatment without insurance, but you will pay the full cost yourself. Free or low-cost clinics for foreigners, as well as NGOs and local support organizations, exist and can help. Contact a migrant support organization in your area first to find out what is available near you.
National Health Screening
What Is Health Screening?
This is a regular check-up program designed to catch major illnesses early, even before symptoms appear. Korea’s government covers all or most of the cost for health insurance enrollees.
Who Is Screened and How Often
- General health screening: Available to local subscribers, their dependents, and workplace subscribers who are listed as eligible in that calendar year.
- The basic cycle is every other year, alternating between people born in even years and those born in odd years. Some groups are eligible every year.
- Additional screenings exist for specific groups: cancer screening, infant and toddler screening, dental screening, and more.
How to Make an Appointment
- Go to the NHIS website (www.nhis.or.kr) and check whether you are eligible under the health screening menu.
- Search for a screening facility and book by phone or online.
- On the day of your screening, bring your ID (Alien Registration Card).
Ways to Keep Your Medical Costs Down
- Start at a neighborhood clinic. Primary care facilities have the lowest patient co-payment rate.
- Always bring your referral letter. Going to a secondary or tertiary hospital without one raises your out-of-pocket cost significantly.
- Do not skip your national health screenings. Catching a disease early almost always means far lower treatment costs.
- Make use of public health centers. Vaccinations, tuberculosis tests, and some chronic disease management are free or very low cost.
- Ask for a generic medication at the pharmacy. When you bring a prescription, you can ask for a generic (복제약, bokjeyak), which contains the same active ingredient as the brand-name drug but costs less.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I am not yet enrolled in health insurance. Where do I go if I get sick? Contact your nearest public health center or a local migrant or refugee support organization first. Some organizations can connect you with free or low-cost medical care even without insurance.
Q. Can I receive care in a language other than Korean? Large hospitals with international clinics offer interpretation services in English and other languages. Neighborhood clinics may not have this, so if you need interpretation support, contact a local migrant support organization in advance, or call the Immigration Contact Center (1345).
Q. What do I do in an emergency? Call 119 (ambulance service) immediately. If Korean is difficult for you, call 1345 and they will connect you to an interpreter. In a genuine emergency, you can go directly to an emergency room without a referral letter.
Helpful Links
- NHIS Official Website: www.nhis.or.kr
- Immigration Contact Center (multilingual, 24 hours): call 1345
- NHIS Customer Service Center: call 1577-1000