More foreigners visit Korea to 'upgrade' looks

Foreigners spent around 270 billion won ($235 million) in South Korea on plastic surgeries and dermatology treatments last year, data showed Sunday.

According to the data compiled by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the combined medical expenditures made by foreigners in South Korea last year came to 860 billion won. Of the amount, the patients spent 221 billion won and 44.8 billion won on plastic surgeries and dermatology treatments, respectively.

The figure marks a sharp growth compared with 2009, when foreigners spent 5.7 billion won on plastic surgeries.

The number of foreigners visiting South Korea for medical purposes came to 452,380 in 2016, with nearly 100,000 of them receiving beauty-related treatments, the data also showed.

By nationality, China accounted for 35 percent, followed by the United States (13.4 percent), Japan (7.3 percent) and Russia (7 percent).

Of the foreign patients visiting plastic surgery clinics, Chinese accounted for 57.7 percent, trailed by Japanese with 5.7 percent. Other major nationalities included the U.S., Thailand, Russia and Singapore.

Lawmakers said the increase in the number of foreigners receiving plastic surgery in South Korea was partly helped by the former Park Geun-hye administration's efforts to attract visitors in the field.

"The new government should re-examine the policies to host (overseas patients), and focus on promoting the country's advanced medical technologies in the field of serious and intractable diseases," said Rep. Nam In-soon of the ruling Democratic Party. (Yonhap)