Korea Aesthetic Clinic Guide
Check the facts before you fly to Korea for a treatment.
Choosing a clinic
- How to choose a dermatology clinic in Seoul: three documents to check before you flyAsk for three documents: the medical institution opening certificate, the doctor's specialist certificate, and the registration certificate for attracting foreign patients. Only then talk about treatments and prices.
Checking credentials
- What a Korean "board-certified dermatologist" is, and how to checkA specialist (전문의) is a board-certified physician recognised by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Whether a clinic may use "dermatology" in its name, and whether your doctor is a dermatology specialist, can be checked on public sites.
- Registration as a medical institution attracting foreign patients: what it is and how to checkKorean medical institutions must register with the city or province before treating patients from abroad. The certificate lists the institution, its address, the representative, the registered departments and the validity period. Registration requires a specialist in each department and liability insurance.
Prices and tax
- Can foreign patients still get a VAT refund on cosmetic procedures in Korea? (checked October 2026)The VAT refund scheme for foreign patients' cosmetic procedures expired on 31 December 2025 and was not extended. A 2026 bill proposes restoring it until 2029; as of the date on this page it has not passed.
- Do foreigners pay the same price in Korea? Check the posted non-covered fee listKorean clinics must post the prices of non-covered procedures. Comparing the posted list with your quote is the most direct way to confirm that foreign and Korean patients pay the same.