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Last reviewed: 26 September 2026

How to Verify a Plastic Surgeon and Clinic in South Korea

Any physician licensed in Korea may legally perform cosmetic surgery. Korean law restricts who may call themselves a board-certified plastic surgery specialist (성형외과 전문의), not who may operate. So it is worth checking three things separately before you book.

First, the surgeon: the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (KSPRS) runs a public search of government-certified plastic surgery specialists. Second, the clinic or agency: recruiting foreign patients without government registration is a criminal offence in Korea, and registration can be looked up on MEDICALKOREA. Third, your rights: since 25 September 2023, hospitals and clinics that operate under general anaesthesia must have CCTV in the operating room and must record your surgery if you ask. If a dispute arises, the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency (K-medi) accepts cases from foreign patients.

Who is allowed to perform cosmetic surgery in Korea?

Under the Medical Service Act (의료법), medical practice is limited to licensed medical professionals acting within their licence, and a physician’s licence is not tied to a specialty (Article 27). What the law restricts is the specialist title: only a doctor certified as a specialist may present themselves as one (Article 77).

In practice this means a doctor who is not a plastic surgery specialist can legally perform cosmetic procedures. A clinic sign that lists “plastic surgery” (성형외과) as a department is a treatment-department label and is not, on its own, proof that the operating surgeon is a certified specialist. Ask the clinic directly whether your surgeon holds plastic surgery specialist certification, and check it yourself.

How to check a surgeon is a certified plastic surgery specialist

The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons offers a public “find a plastic surgery specialist” search (성형외과 전문의 찾기). It lists Ministry-certified plastic surgery specialists who are society members, searchable by the specialist’s name (전문의명) or hospital name. The tool is in Korean only; searching the surgeon’s name in Korean characters works best.

A doctor who does not appear may still be a certified specialist who is not a society member. If you cannot find your surgeon, ask the clinic for a copy of the specialist certificate.

Is the clinic or agency registered to treat foreign patients?

Clinics and agencies that recruit foreign patients must register with the government under the Act on Support for Overseas Expansion of Healthcare System and Attraction of International Patients. Recruiting foreign patients without registration is a crime punishable by up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to ₩30 million.

Registered medical institutions must have at least one specialist in the relevant field and malpractice insurance. Registered agencies must meet a minimum capital requirement. Registration is valid for 3 years and must then be renewed. You can look up a clinic or agency by name on the MEDICALKOREA registration search.

Hospital accreditation (KOIHA)

Korea has run a national hospital accreditation system since 2010, operated by the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation (KOIHA). Accreditation is mandatory for long-term-care and psychiatric hospitals and voluntary for other hospitals, so the absence of accreditation is not by itself evidence of poor care, while a current accreditation is independent evidence of safety systems.

The scheme covers hospital-level institutions (병원급). Small clinics (의원) are not part of it.

Operating-room CCTV: your right to have your surgery recorded

Since 25 September 2023, hospitals and clinics in Korea that perform surgery under general anaesthesia, or in other states where the patient cannot respond, must have CCTV installed in the operating room (Medical Service Act, Article 38-2). If you or your guardian request it, the operation must be recorded, except on narrow grounds set out in the law, such as emergency or life-saving high-risk surgery.

Sound is not recorded unless everyone present consents. Footage must be kept for at least 30 days, and access is limited, for example to criminal investigations and trials, medical dispute mediation, or with the consent of everyone recorded.

If something goes wrong: K-medi dispute mediation

The Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency (K-medi) is a public body under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It mediates and arbitrates medical disputes for foreign patients as well as Koreans.

Contact K-medi on +82-2-1670-2545 (also +82-2-6210-0080), weekdays 09:00–18:00 Korea time, or by email at kmedi@k-medi.or.kr.

Frequently asked questions

Can any doctor perform plastic surgery in Korea?

Any physician licensed in Korea may legally perform cosmetic procedures. The law restricts who may use the title of board-certified plastic surgery specialist, not who may operate, so check your surgeon’s certification yourself.

How do I check that a surgeon is a certified plastic surgery specialist?

Use the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons’ specialist search at plasticsurgery.or.kr, which lists Ministry-certified plastic surgery specialists who are society members by name and hospital. It is in Korean; if your surgeon is not listed, ask the clinic for the specialist certificate.

What is KSPRS?

KSPRS is the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, the professional society for plastic surgery specialists in Korea. It is not a government regulator; its public search helps you check whether a doctor is a certified plastic surgery specialist.

How do I know a clinic is legally allowed to treat foreign patients?

Clinics and agencies that recruit foreign patients must be registered with the government, and recruiting without registration is punishable by up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to ₩30 million. Search the clinic or agency on the MEDICALKOREA registration lookup.

What is KOIHA accreditation and does my clinic need it?

KOIHA runs Korea’s national hospital accreditation. It is mandatory only for long-term-care and psychiatric hospitals and voluntary for other hospitals, and small clinics (의원) are not part of the scheme.

Can I ask for my surgery to be recorded on CCTV?

Yes. Since 25 September 2023, hospitals and clinics that operate under general anaesthesia must have operating-room CCTV and must record your surgery if you or your guardian ask, apart from narrow exceptions such as emergencies. Footage is kept for at least 30 days.

Where can a foreign patient go if something goes wrong?

The Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency (K-medi), a public body under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, handles cases from foreign patients. Call +82-2-1670-2545, weekdays 09:00–18:00 Korea time, or visit k-medi.or.kr/eng.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal or medical advice.

Verify a Plastic Surgeon in Korea (KSPRS, KOIHA, K-medi) | KmedTour