What Is Asan Medical Center?
Asan Medical Center (AMC) is Korea’s largest hospital and one of the most respected medical institutions in Asia. Established in 1989 by Asan Ju-Yung Chung, founder of the Hyundai Group, AMC operates with 2,715 beds across 27 specialized centers and 44 departments. For international patients, it represents the top of what Korean medicine can offer — particularly for complex, severe conditions that require a level of expertise not easily found elsewhere.
In Newsweek’s “World’s Best Hospitals 2025” ranking, Asan Medical Center placed 25th globally, the highest ranking of any Korean hospital. In the 2026 World’s Best Specialized Hospitals evaluation, six specialties made the global top ten: cancer, gastroenterology, endocrinology, neurology, urology, and orthopedics.
If you’re considering treatment in Korea, Asan is one of the five university hospitals that consistently anchors every serious conversation about Korean medical tourism. The others — Seoul National University Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, Severance, and Seoul St. Mary’s — form what’s widely known as Korea’s Big 5. Within that group, Asan is frequently cited first when the condition is serious.
What Asan Medical Center Is Known For
AMC’s strongest areas align closely with why international patients travel to Korea in the first place: conditions that require advanced surgical skill, specialized teams, or outcomes that are difficult to replicate at home.
International patients particularly value AMC’s comprehensive centers in oncology, cardiology, organ transplantation, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and pediatrics. Each runs as a dedicated center — subspecialty teams, high case volumes, and proven protocols for complex procedures.
A few areas stand out specifically:
Cancer treatment is arguably AMC’s most recognized strength internationally. AMC ranks number one in Korea in surgical volume across thirty major diseases, including the six most common cancers and organ transplantation. For patients weighing global options after a cancer diagnosis, case volume matters. Surgeons who perform a procedure thousands of times a year get better outcomes than those doing it dozens of times.
Organ transplantation is another area where Asan’s reputation extends well beyond Korea. Liver transplantation in particular draws patients from across Asia and the Middle East, often for cases that have been declined or deprioritized elsewhere.
Robotic and minimally invasive surgery has become an increasingly prominent part of AMC’s profile. The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Asan Medical Center recently became the first in Korea to surpass 3,000 robotic surgeries for colorectal cancer. This kind of milestone reflects both the volume and the institutional commitment to advanced surgical technique.
The International Healthcare Center (IHC)
For foreign patients, all roads into Asan Medical Center run through the International Healthcare Center (IHC). This is the department that handles everything from first contact to discharge, and understanding how it works is the key to navigating AMC as an overseas patient.
The IHC handles everything in one place: appointments, billing, admission, discharge, medical reports, and CD issuance. Translation and escort services are available in English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, Mongolian, and Vietnamese throughout the entire process.
The IHC is located on the 4th floor of the New Building at Asan Medical Center, in the Songpa-gu area of southeastern Seoul. From Incheon International Airport, the journey takes approximately 80 minutes by car or bus.
One practical point worth knowing: the IHC does not manage health screening packages directly. If you’re interested in a one-day checkup package, you need to contact the Health Screening and Promotion Center separately at +82-2-3010-5005 or hpc_admin@amc.seoul.kr.
AI-Powered Remote Consultation
One development that sets Asan apart from most hospitals in the region is its investment in pre-arrival digital services. AMC launched an AI-powered integrated platform for international patients that allows them to register, share medical records, book a pre-consultation, and receive remote treatment before arriving in Korea. Foreign patients can upload symptom descriptions, photos, videos, CT/MRI data, and local hospital opinions directly through the platform, which automatically links to AMC’s hospital information system. The platform supports at least eight languages including English and Vietnamese, covering a significant portion of MediStay Korea’s target audience.
This matters practically: Patients who consult remotely before traveling arrive knowing their treatment plan, target department, and expected timeline. It reduces the uncertainty that often makes overseas medical travel feel overwhelming.
How to Book as an International Patient
When requesting an appointment from abroad, patients should provide as much detail as possible — symptoms, diagnosis, medical history, current medications, preferred treatment, and any prior test results. The more complete the initial submission, the faster the IHC can route the inquiry to the right specialist.
Appointments can be made by phone, email, or through AMC’s international patient website. For complex cases, the remote consultation pathway described above is often the more efficient route — it allows the medical team to review the case before recommending the appropriate department and specialist.
For second opinions, AMC’s team can review medical records and provide a formal report in English or Korean within approximately seven business days. Medical records submitted for second opinion review must be in English.
Before traveling, review our Korea Medical Visa Guide for a full breakdown of C-3-3 and G-1-10 visa options.
Accommodation Near Asan Medical Center
Asan is located in Songpa-gu, which is in the southeastern part of Seoul — a different part of the city from the Gangnam/Sinchon corridor where several other Big 5 hospitals are clustered. Patients and families planning extended stays have several options nearby.
Hotels in close proximity include Seoul Olympic Parktel, Sheraton Grande Walkerhill, W Seoul Walkerhill, Lotte Hotel World, and THE CLASSIC 500. For patients on tighter budgets or longer stays, serviced apartment options like M Chereville and Lexvill are also nearby.
For longer treatment stays, the area around Olympic Park offers more residential-style accommodation options than the immediate hospital vicinity — worth exploring if the treatment timeline extends beyond a week or two.
Insurance and Payments
For most organizations, AMC can arrange direct billing to embassies or insurance companies. International health insurance is widely accepted, though patients should confirm coverage details with both their insurer and the IHC before arrival.
For patients without insurance coverage or whose plan doesn’t have a direct billing arrangement, full payment of medical charges is required. English-language receipts are available on request for insurance claim purposes.
Is Asan Medical Center Right for You?
Asan is best suited for patients with serious, complex, or rare conditions — particularly cancer, cardiovascular disease, organ failure, or neurological conditions where both surgical expertise and high case volume make a meaningful difference in outcomes.
For patients seeking elective procedures, cosmetic treatments, or routine health screenings, Asan may feel larger and more operationally complex than necessary. The hospital is built around high-acuity care, and the patient flow reflects that. Patients who prioritize a streamlined, hospitality-focused experience may find other Big 5 hospitals or specialized international clinics a better fit for lower-complexity needs.
That said, for the patients Asan is designed to serve — those facing serious illness, evaluating their options internationally, and looking for a hospital with the depth to handle whatever the treatment requires — AMC sits at the top of the list.
Start Your Journey to Asan Medical Center
If you’re considering treatment at Asan Medical Center and want help understanding whether it’s the right fit for your condition, or how to navigate the booking process from overseas, feel free to reach out. We’re here to help you find the right path.
