Are There University Hospitals in Korea? 2026 Guide

Korea has a system of large general hospitals known as tertiary hospitals, and the remote review (pre-arrival review) and treatment of overseas patients are handled by medical staff at these tertiary hospitals. However, public-facing pages do not disclose the actual names of specific hospitals or physicians.

Key Summary

• The remote review (pre-arrival review) is a written opinion prepared by medical staff at Korean tertiary hospitals, cross-reviewed by surgeons and medical oncologists who specialize in the relevant cancer type (see the remote review note).
• Korean medical law restricts international patient referral agencies from advertising specific physicians or specific medical institutions, so public pages do not list hospital names or hospital-by-hospital outcomes (see the FAQ note).
• Rather than rankings, the process involves comparing three hospitals that fit the cancer type, stage, budget, and language needs within the written opinion (see the remote review note).
• For cancers requiring multiple specialties, such as liver cancer, it is standard practice at tertiary hospitals for hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery, gastroenterology, radiation oncology, and radiology to work as one team to determine the treatment sequence (see the liver cancer note).
• Institutions that recruit foreign patients must register with the Ministry of Health and Welfare under relevant law, and documents issued by registered institutions serve as the basis for medical-purpose visa review (see the medical visa note).

What Is Korea's Large Hospital System Like?

Korea has a category of large general hospitals called tertiary hospitals, and it is medical staff at these tertiary hospitals who handle remote review and treatment of overseas patients. Tertiary hospital refers to a category of medical institution large enough for multiple departments to collaborate within one facility, making it a suitable system for treatments—such as liver cancer—that require joint care from surgery, internal medicine, radiation oncology, and radiology departments. That said, this article does not disclose the name of any specific hospital or its affiliated medical staff. This is due to a restriction under Korean medical law limiting referral agencies from advertising specific physicians or specific medical institutions—it is an operating-policy constraint, not an indication that no such hospitals exist.

Why Aren't Hospital Names Disclosed?

Korean medical law restricts institutions that recruit overseas patients from advertising specific physicians or specific medical institutions. For this reason, public pages do not list hospital names or hospital-by-hospital treatment outcomes. Instead, within the remote review's written opinion, three hospitals matching the cancer type, stage, budget, and language needs are compared, and the patient makes the final choice of where to actually receive treatment after reviewing the written opinion and completing a video consultation. Physician names are likewise not listed on public pages but can be confirmed during the review stage and the video consultation.

How Does Treatment Proceed at a Tertiary Hospital?

• Step 1, Remote Review — Once imaging (DICOM), biopsy results, and medical records are uploaded, medical oncology and surgical staff at the tertiary hospital cross-review the case and provide a written opinion within 5 business days.
• Step 2, Hospital Comparison — The written opinion includes a comparison of three hospitals matching the cancer type, stage, budget, and language needs, along with a package estimate.
• Step 3, Booking and Contract — During the video consultation reviewing the written opinion, the hospital and treatment plan are finalized and a booking confirmation is issued.
• Step 4, Arrival and Treatment — After arrival, necessary tests are completed, and the relevant departments finalize the treatment schedule through joint consultation.
• This entire process is detailed in the treatment journey note and the remote review note.

FAQ — Which Tertiary Hospital Is Best?

No rankings are given. This is because, under Korean medical law, referral institutions cannot advertise specific hospitals or physicians. Instead, three hospitals matching the cancer type, stage, budget, and language needs are compared within the written opinion, and the final choice is made by the patient.

FAQ — Can I Know the Medical Staff in Advance?

Public pages do not list the names of medical staff. Review is cross-conducted by medical staff specializing in the relevant cancer type, and patients meet the actual attending medical staff during the video consultation that follows delivery of the written opinion. Assignment criteria are separately described in the site's medical staff information.

Sources and Notes

• This article was prepared based on the remote review, treatment journey, FAQ, medical visa, and liver cancer notes (sources: Ministry of Health and Welfare, Medical Korea, National Cancer Center, National Cancer Registration Statistics 2019–2023, HiKorea).
• This content is intended to provide general medical information, and diagnosis, treatment methods, and outcomes may vary depending on individual condition. Accurate diagnosis and treatment should always be determined through consultation with medical staff.