Knowing how Korea’s healthcare system works before you get sick can save you a lot of stress. Korea has many hospitals and a high standard of care, but at first it can feel overwhelming, where do you go, and how much will it cost? This guide covers the essentials and points you toward more detailed information. This is the second article in the “New to Korea?” series. You may also find ① Residence Status and ③ Daily Settlement helpful to read alongside this one.

It helps to take care of these things in advance:

  • Get your Alien Registration Card, then check whether you are enrolled in health insurance and what your monthly premium is.
  • Find out where your nearest local clinic, pharmacy, and general hospital are.
  • If you have children, keep track of their vaccination schedules and infant health check-up dates.
  • Save the emergency number 119 and the multilingual helpline 1345 in your phone.

Enrolling in Health Insurance

Once you have registered as a foreign resident and have lived in Korea for six months or more, you are automatically required to join the National Health Insurance (건강보험) scheme (this rule has been in place since July 2019). With health insurance, you do not pay the full cost of treatment, you pay only your share, called a co-payment, and the scheme covers the rest, which makes medical bills much more manageable. For full details on who must enroll, how premiums are calculated, what hospital fees look like, and what to do if you cannot afford your premium, see Health Insurance Enrollment, Premiums, and Hospital Fees.

Using Hospitals and Pharmacies

In Korea, where you go depends on how serious your symptoms are. For mild illnesses like a cold, visit a local clinic (의원, uiwon, a small, neighbourhood doctor’s office). For conditions that need major tests or surgery, you go to a general hospital (종합병원, jonghap byeongwon). When a doctor prescribes medication, you take the prescription to a pharmacy (약국, yakguk) to collect your medicine. Starting at a neighbourhood clinic is almost always faster and cheaper than going straight to a large hospital. For more on fees and how prescriptions work, see Health Insurance Enrollment, Premiums, and Hospital Fees.

Vaccinations and Children’s Health

Vaccinations are the most basic way to protect your own health and your family’s. In Korea, most essential childhood vaccinations are free, and if you have young children they are entitled to free health check-ups at set ages.

Mental Health

If You Do Not Have Insurance Yet

If you are not yet enrolled, or you simply do not have health insurance and are worried about the cost of treatment, Free Clinics for Migrants and Refugees can help. These clinics offer consultations and care at no cost, so please do not delay getting treatment just because of money.

Emergencies

If there is a life-threatening situation or a serious accident, call 119. Even if your Korean is limited, you can ask for an interpreter, just say calmly that you need one. If you find it hard to describe your location, telling the operator the name of a nearby building or a sign you can see nearby will help them find you.

Next Steps

For information on visas and legal status, see New to Korea? ① Residence Status. For money, housing, and everyday life, see New to Korea? ③ Daily Settlement. If you have questions that are difficult to ask in Korean, the Immigration Contact Center (1345) offers multilingual support.