Apps and sites for finding a hospital

"Which hospital should I go to?" is a searchable question.

The main tools

1. HIRA (www.hira.or.kr) — search by department and area, compare non-covered charges.
2. e-gen (www.e-gen.or.kr) — clinics and pharmacies open now, A&E congestion.
3. Naver Map / KakaoMap — location, hours, reviews, tap to call.
4. NHIS (www.nhis.or.kr) — find health check-up providers.
5. Local government websites — some publish lists of hospitals able to treat foreign residents.

How to search

1. Decide the right department for your symptoms (see below).
2. Search the department name on a map app and check distance and travel time.
3. Check reviews and opening hours.
4. If you need interpretation, phone to ask whether they can treat foreign patients. See hospital-interpretation.
5. For general hospitals, book an appointment and get a referral letter if needed.

Department by symptom

• Colds, stomach upsets, general problems → internal medicine / family medicine
• Bone, muscle and joint pain → orthopaedics
• Skin → dermatology
• Eyes → ophthalmology / ear, nose, throat → ENT
• Teeth → dentistry / women's health → obstetrics and gynaecology / children → paediatrics
• Mental health → psychiatry

Where to go

• 1644-2000 Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service
• e-gen www.e-gen.or.kr
• 1339 Korea Disease Control Agency
• 1345 Immigration Contact Centre (interpretation)

Questions people ask

I don't know which department I need. Start with internal medicine or family medicine; they will direct you elsewhere if needed.

I want a hospital with English. Check the international healthcare centre at a large hospital, or ask your local foreign-resident support centre. See hospital-interpretation.

Do prices differ by hospital? Covered items are the same, but non-covered charges differ by hospital. Compare them on HIRA.

Is my local public health centre an option? Yes. Vaccinations, basic check-ups and some treatment are available cheaply.

Take care

Don't choose on reviews alone. Where non-covered procedures are pushed hard, ask for the cost explanation first. Never consent to a procedure that hasn't been explained.

Related

hospital-hours · night-weekend-clinic · hospital-visit · specialist-referral · hospital-interpretation

Source

Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service www.hira.or.kr / As of 2026-08