Foreign Medical Spending in Korea Shifts Heavily Toward Local Pharmacies

Foreign visitor healthcare spending in South Korea reached ₩1.84 trillion (~$1.31 billion) during the first nine months of the year, nearly tripling pharmacy sales compared to 2025. Data from Korea Tourism Data Lab reveals that 7 out of 10 foreign medical card payments now take place in pharmacies. Tourists are increasingly pairing dermatology clinic visits with direct pharmacy purchases of specialized post-treatment skincare and wellness goods.