Health is one of the most important aspects in life, and can be a particularly crucial issue when you are living in a foreign country.
South Korea has one of the most advanced medical systems in the world. The state-run insurance program also means medical services are often more affordable compared with other advanced countries.
Many health benefits here are accessible not only to Korean nationals or those with naturalized citizenship, but also to foreign nationals who meet certain criteria. In 2024, Korea hosted 1.17 million foreign patients.
In this edition of the health benefits series, we review how foreign nationals can receive national insurance benefits during their stay.
National health insurance
Korea's National Health Insurance Service is a state-run system that subsidizes essential medical services for subscribers. The number of foreign national subscribers reached 229,517 in the latest official tally in 2024, and continues to climb.
Foreign nationals who have lived in Korea for at least six months are automatically subscribed to NHIS. However, if a registered individual leaves Korea for more than 30 days, they will no longer be covered by national insurance upon reentry and must wait another six months before reregistering.
An exception is granted to D-2 study visa and F-6 marriage visa holders, who are subject to foreign resident registration. In such cases, the individual will be entitled to immediately subscribe to the state-run health insurance upon entry into Korea.
While eligible individuals are usually registered automatically after meeting the aforementioned requirement, some subscriptions may not be processed. In such cases, you will not receive an NHIS card, and you will need to visit the nearest National Health Insurance Service office to confirm your subscription.
In-person visits are also necessary when registering as a family unit, or when applying for a reduced insurance premium due to visa status, such as a student visa, an F-4 visa.
Changes to personal status, such as place of residence, passport number, or visa status, should be reported to an NHIS office and the relevant authorities.
For more detailed information on applications, required documents and eligibility for a family subscription, visit the homepage of the NHIS or see this page.
Those unlawfully residing in Korea, such as those staying past the permitted period of residence, will not be eligible to subscribe to the insurance program.
A foreign resident in Korea may request exclusion from the NHIS if they are eligible for medical benefits equivalent to those provided by the NHI, in accordance with their foreign status, foreign insurance or a contract concluded with their employer.
Details regarding NHIS applications for foreign nationals are stipulated in Article 109 of the International Health Insurance Act, "Special Cases concerning Foreigners." An English translation of this act is available here.
Detailed information on NHIS registration for foreign nationals, including the required documents, is available at the NHIS homepage or via Easy Law. (Korean)
Medical expenses that are not deemed essential are not covered by insurance, such as plastic surgery for aesthetic reasons, eyesight-improvement operations, and teeth whitening or implants.
Failure to submit monthly premiums for at least three months will lead to penalties starting the following month. These include revoking the health benefits, charging interest on overdue payments, restrictions when applying for other state-run programs, and even the possible seizure of assets.
If an individual has long-term arrears spanning at least one year, their financial information will be registered with the Korea Credit Information Service, which will lead to further disadvantages in financial dealings.
