South Korea's medical tourism boom

South Korea's hospitals will be allowed directly to seek foreign patients beginning May 1 as part of the country's efforts to promote medical tourism. Lee Young Ho, a marketing director of the Global Healthcare Business Centre, said he expects the medical industry to grow fast due to aggressive overseas marketing. South Korean hospitals are currently barred from directly advertising for patients or accepting them through dedicated referral services. But the Centre, which is controlled by the health ministry, is forming a network of hospitals and travel agencies which will be officially allowed to seek patients abroad under a law which takes effect on May 1.