Mongolia’s big-spending medical tourists: South Korea steps up efforts to attract them

Mongolian medical tourists spent nearly 10 million won per person in South Korea last year, making them one of the country’s most valuable overseas healthcare markets. The Korea Tourism Organization is now moving deeper into Mongolia’s mining and financial sectors to attract more of them.

The organization held its 2026 Mongolia-Korea Medical Tourism Roadshow in Ulaanbaatar and Dalanzadgad, a mining city in the south. It said 35,586 Mongolian medical tourists visited South Korea last year, a 38.3% increase from the previous year. They accounted for 21.3% of all Mongolian visitors to the country.

The market’s average annual growth over the past three years reached 27.4%. Average spending per Mongolian medical tourist stood at about 9.88 million won, compared with 6.73 million won for all foreign medical tourists, or roughly 1.5 times as much.

Demand is also shifting. Internal medicine and comprehensive health checks remain important, but dermatology and plastic surgery have gained ground amid the popularity of Korean beauty services. Dermatology rose from 8.6% of treatments last year to 13% this year, becoming the second-largest category. Plastic surgery increased from 5.6% to 7.4%.

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After a health checkup, I could receive additional tests and check the results in a short time, allowing me to experience the excellence of Korean healthcare firsthand.

The organization discussed customized medical tourism and wellness programs with the Mongolian National Mining Association, which represents about 90,000 employees, and 17 mining companies under the Chinggis Khaan Sovereign Wealth Fund, with about 18,000 employees. In Dalanzadgad, home to the Oyu Tolgoi mine, it also operated a consultation and promotional center for about 800 residents and employees.

It signed a memorandum of understanding with Mandal Financial Group, which controls 90% of Mongolia’s asset-management market and has a network of 260,000 customers. It also reviewed high-end wellness packages for VIP clients of Trade and Development Bank. The roadshow produced 803 consultations and estimated sales of about 1.96 billion won.

A Mongolian mining executive who joined a familiarization tour praised the ability to receive additional tests and results quickly after a health checkup. Korea Tourism Organization President Park Seong-hyuk said it would propose a “Happy Miner Campaign” involving the mining industry, financial sector and travel companies, following the existing “Healthy Miner” program.

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Following the existing Healthy Miner product, we will additionally propose a Happy Miner Campaign involving the mining industry, financial sector and travel companies, and devote every effort to attracting Mongolian medical tourists.