A PET/CT scan in the Republic of Korea typically costs from $1,100 to $1,300. The total depends on the protocol used and the body area covered. In the US, patients pay around $2,800 for similar imaging services. South Korea offers average savings of about 57%. Most scans in Seoul and Incheon include a medical report and CD with images.
Bookimed Expert Insight: High-tier hospitals in Korea offer exceptional value through massive patient volumes and digitalization. Some major centers like Asan Medical Center treat over 180,000 patients every year. Facilities like Seoul National University Bundang Hospital have been fully digital for decades. This prevents medical errors and speeds up result delivery. Choosing a KOIHA-accredited hospital like Na-Eun Hospital also helps ensure patient safety. These large facilities can often offer imaging results on the same day.
| Republic of Korea | Turkey | Austria | |
| PET/CT | from $1,100 | from $700 | ≈ $1,200 |
No hidden fees – just official clinic prices. Pay at the clinic for PET/CT upon arrival and use a flexible installment plan if needed.
Bookimed is committed to your safety. We only work with medical institutions that maintain high international standards in PET/CT and have the necessary licenses to serve international patients worldwide.
Bookimed offers free expert assistance. A personal medical coordinator supports you before, during, and after your treatment, solving any issues. You're never alone on your PET/CT journey.
Dr. Hyuk‑Jai Shin, MD, PhD, is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at Myongji Hospital in South Korea. He is also Director of the Breast Center and Vice President for Medical Affairs. His work focuses on breast cancer, benign breast disease, robotic and endoscopic breast surgery, and systemic therapy. He chairs the Korean Breast Cancer Society group for robotic and endoscopic minimally invasive surgery. He is a full member of ASCO.
He earned his MD and PhD from Dankook University. He completed a breast fellowship and served as a principal proteomics researcher at Seoul National University Hospital. He received endoscopic training at Kameda Hospital in Japan. He was an exchange professor at the University of Melbourne and a visiting surgeon at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He previously led the Breast & Thyroid Center and the Precision Medicine Center at Myongji Hospital. His publications include first‑author chapters in Translational Research in Breast Cancer (Chapter 30, pp. 567–590, Springer) and the Textbook of Surgical Ultrasound (Chapter 3‑3, VABB). He also co‑authored a nationwide VABB survey (Anticancer Research, 2012; 32(12):5459–64).
Dr. Wan‑Sung Kim, MD, PhD, is Director of the Thyroid Center and an Associate Professor of Surgery at Myongji Hospital, an educational partner of Hanyang University. He is a breast and thyroid surgeon. He treats cancer and benign disease and focuses on minimally invasive thyroid and adrenal surgery.
Expertise: endoscopic and robotic thyroidectomy (transoral, axillary-areolar), thyroid radiofrequency ablation, ethanol ablation for thyroid lesions, and endoscopic or robotic adrenal tumor surgery.
He previously served as Head of Surgery at Myongji Hospital and Chuncheon Gangnam Hospital. He completed his residency and a breast and thyroid fellowship at Myongji. He holds an MD and MS from Catholic Kwandong University and a PhD from Kangwon National University. He is a member of the Korean Association of Thyroid and Endocrine Surgeons, the Korean Breast Cancer Society, the Korean Surgical Society, and the Korean Surgical Ultrasound Society.
Dr. Jung Sang Jin is a Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Myongji Hospital, an educational partner of Hanyang University. He specializes in joint replacement, knee conditions, lower-extremity trauma, diabetic foot, arthritis, and osteoporosis.
He earned his MD and MSc from Konyang University. He completed his internship and orthopedic residency at Konyang University Hospital. He then finished a hip and knee arthroplasty clinical fellowship at Samsung Medical Center. He also completed AO Recon advanced arthroplasty training in Davos. In addition, he finished the AO Trauma Masters and AO Recon Hip and Knee courses. He is a member of the Korean Orthopaedic Association, Korean Knee Society, Korean Fracture Society, Korean Society of Sports Medicine, Korean Hip Society, and AO Trauma and AO Recon. He has published on hip replacement outcomes. He received a KOA poster award in 2023.
Professor Lee Seok-gu is a leading liver transplant surgeon at Myongji Hospital. He has performed about 2,000 liver transplants. He achieved Korea’s first transfusion-free liver transplant. He performed hepatocyte transplantation in a one-month-old infant. He led the first clinical use of a bioartificial liver for acute liver failure. He also performed living-donor transplants in Egypt and trained teams in Vietnam.
He is Professor of Surgery at Myongji Hospital and former Director of the Organ Transplantation Center at Samsung Medical Center. He earned his MD and MSc from Seoul National University and his PhD from the Catholic University of Korea. He completed a fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard and transplant training at Johns Hopkins. He served as president of three national societies in transplantation and pediatric surgery. His honors include the Chong Kun Dang Award, the Pfizer Clinical Medicine Award, and the Astellas Investigator Award. He has 447 publications and 13 book chapters.
Today, South Korea has visa-free agreements with 112 states. None visa is required for stays under 90 days or less. To stay longer in this country, you need a visa. What states need a visa for treatment in South Korea and what countries can cross the border free and easy read here.
Healthcare is the key development sector of the Korean government. The Korean authorities are convinced that care for the citizens' health should be an absolute priority of state policy and spend about 1 billion a year for medical tourists attraction.
According to Mark Britnell, hospitals dominate the health system. 94% of hospitals are privately owned.
According to ASPS statistics, 17.7 mln cosmetic surgeries and 5.8 mln reconstructive procedures have been performed in 2018. Among cosmetic procedures the most popular are:
Tumor removal, laceration repair, maxillofacial surgery, scar revision, hand surgery are the most common operations in the context of reconstructive surgery.
Visas for travel to South Korea require a number of documents. The necessary papers can be submitted 90 days before the planned departure. Lists of documents includes:
Currency | South Korean Won (you also can pay for services in dollars) |
Best period for the trip | April, May & June or September, October & November. |
Language | Korean (most of medical staff speaks English fluently) |
Visa | none required for stays under 90 days or less |
Time difference with Europe | 9 hours |
Time difference with the USA | 9 hours |
Capital | Seoul |
Medical tourism center | Seoul |
Popular resorts | Gangwon-do, Gyeongju, Boseong, Jeju |
In South Korea, hotels of different price ranges and service levels are presented. Most tourists choose 4 and 5 star hotels with all-inclusive meals. Such hotels have everything for a comfortable stay: varied food, a large well-groomed territory, animation for children and adults. Some hotels have their own water park, which guests can use for free. Budget travelers can afford to book an economical 3-star hotel with half board or no meals at all.