Korea Legalizes Telemedicine for International Patients
Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare has promulgated an amendment to the Medical Overseas Expansion Act, formally legalizing telemedicine for international patients — enabling pre-visit consultations and post-treatment follow-up care for the first time.
Overview
Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister Jung Eun-kyung) announced on May 26 that an amendment to the Medical Overseas Expansion and International Patient Attraction Support Act (Medical Overseas Expansion Act) has been officially promulgated. The amendment introduces three major changes: the legalization of telemedicine for international patients, an expanded reporting scope for overseas medical expansion, and a new legal basis for annual industry surveys.
The amendment takes effect one year from the date of promulgation.
1. Telemedicine for International Patients — Now Official
With Korea welcoming over 2 million international patients in 2025, the need for pre-visit consultation and post-treatment follow-up care has been consistently raised by patients, providers, and the industry. Until now, the domestic telemedicine framework — which covers returning patients at clinic-level facilities — could not be applied to international patients, requiring a separate legal provision.
Under the new amendment, physicians, dentists, and traditional Korean medicine practitioners affiliated with registered international patient facilities may now:
- Provide telemedicine services to first-time international patients
- Deliver pre-visit consultations before patients arrive in Korea
- Provide post-treatment remote monitoring, counseling, education, diagnosis, and prescription after patients return home
- Operate at both clinic-level and hospital-level facilities
The amendment also enables the establishment of a dedicated International Patient Telemedicine Support System — a platform for telemedicine delivery and prescription management — which may be operated by a designated specialist organization.
Safeguards are included: violations of telemedicine procedures may result in cancellation of a facility's international patient registration, ensuring patient safety and protecting Korea's reputation for high-quality care.
2. Expanded Reporting Scope for Overseas Medical Expansion
As the range of entities involved in Korea's overseas healthcare expansion has grown beyond hospital operators to include nonprofit organizations and hospital management service companies (MSOs), the amendment expands the mandatory reporting scope accordingly. Nonprofit corporations and companies incorporated under commercial law are now included alongside medical institution operators.
This expanded visibility will enable the government to develop more targeted support policies for a wider range of organizations participating in Korea's global healthcare expansion.
3. Legal Basis for Annual Industry Surveys
With 2.01 million international patients recorded in 2025 and over a decade of overseas medical expansion since the Act was first enacted in 2016, a more comprehensive and systematic approach to tracking outcomes and operational realities has become essential. The amendment establishes a formal legal basis for annual industry surveys, providing the data foundation for evidence-based policy development going forward.
What This Means for KRACE
This amendment directly validates and expands the model KRACE is built around. KRACE has always been designed as an end-to-end platform — covering pre-visit coordination, in-Korea care, and post-treatment aftercare. The legalization of telemedicine for international patients now creates a formal regulatory framework that supports exactly this approach.
For KRACE's core user — an English-speaking international patient planning a visit to Korea for a health screening, dermatology treatment, or wellness procedure — this means:
- Pre-visit: Remote consultation with a verified Korean physician before booking
- In-Korea: Coordinated in-person care with language support and booking handled through KRACE
- Post-visit: Legally supported follow-up care and monitoring after returning home
The full care journey is now legally recognized — and KRACE is positioned to coordinate every step of it.
Official Statement
"The legalization of telemedicine for international patients is a new starting point — one that will significantly enhance both the trust and accessibility of Korean healthcare in the global market during the era of two million international patients," said Minister Jung Eun-kyung. "The expanded reporting scope and accurate industry surveys will greatly support quality management of international patient services and strengthen the foundations of Korea's overseas healthcare expansion."