Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare Facility Registration

Overview

The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) regulates healthcare facilities and practitioners in South Korea. Facility registration is a legal requirement to operate, and international-patient registration is an additional designation required for clinics marketing treatment to foreign patients.

Founded: 1948 · Headquarters: Sejong, South Korea

What It Covers

The Ministry issues facility licences, oversees the Korean physician licensing system, and administers the international patient facility registration scheme. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) provides practitioner and facility verification tools used by patients.

Limitations

Ministry registration is a baseline legal requirement, not a quality accreditation. Clinical quality is evaluated separately via KOIHA (Korean Institute for Healthcare Accreditation) and specialty society certifications. A Ministry registration alone does not indicate the specialist qualifications of individual surgeons.

Renewal and Validity

Facility registrations are reviewed periodically with ongoing compliance inspections. International patient facility status is renewable and requires continued adherence to the Ministry's international-patient standards.

How to Verify

Verify any claim of Korean Ministry of Health Registration accreditation directly at: mohw.go.kr

If a clinic claims this accreditation but does not appear in the public register, ask for the certificate number and expiry date. Contact the accrediting body directly to confirm.