Foreign national patients flock to Korea’s dermatology clinics, rising 117-fold in 15 years

진행자: 최정윤, Tannith Kriel

기사 요약: 지난 15년간 우리나라 피부과를 찾은 외국인 환자가 117배 급증하면서, 지난해에는 총 70만 5,044명의 외국인이 입국해 피부과 진료를 받은 것으로 나타났다.

[1] The number of foreign patients visiting Korean dermatology clinics has skyrocketed over the past decade and a half, making skin treatments the most sought-after form of care among overseas visitors to South Korea’s hospitals.

-flock: (많은 수가) 떼 지어 가다, 오다, 모이다

-dermatology: 피부과학

-sought-after: 많은 사람들이 원하는, 수요가 많은

[2] According to statistics provided by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute on Thursday, 705,044 patients of foreign nationality received dermatology treatments in Korea in 2024. This marks a 117-fold increase from 2009, when just 6,015 foreign patients sought dermatology care.

-fold: ~곱, ~겹 (배)

[3] While the overall number of foreign nationals seeking medical services in Korea rose 19-fold over the 15-year period, the surge in dermatology care has outpaced every other field. In 2024, dermatology accounted for 56.6 percent of all foreign national patients, up from just 9.3 percent in 2009.

-surge: 급증

-outpace: 앞지르다, 앞서다

[4] The shift has been especially notable in recent years. Until 2019, medical clinics specializing in internal medicine held the largest share of foreign national patients at 19.2 percent, followed by plastic surgery at 15.3 percent and dermatology at 14.4 percent.

-hold share: 지분을 가지다

기사 원문: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10563965