한𐄁러 의료관광 산업에 대한 연구 분석

Abstract

In recent years, the Korean government observed medical tourism, a part of the new growth industry, to be an emerging growth engine, thereby putting more efforts in medical law amendment and medical tourism service advancement. The medical tourism industry is a new blue ocean industry, a global business in which infinite competition is possible, as it is able to attract potential patients from all over the world, transcending the boundaries of continents, countries, and/or regions. In correspondence to such a trend, the Korean government is striving to occupy the global blue ocean market. In order to do so, the government is aiming at creating another cultural code by promoting the national brand image and organizing a new growth power through convergence with various industries. This new cultural code is a methodological approach that fulfills human being’s natural instinct to lead a healthy life. By undergoing this process of advanced concept of convergent industry, the purpose of the government is to cultivate this industry as a higher value-added one in which quality jobs from a variety of areas can be created, not only limited to medical coordinator. Moreover, the geographical benefits as Korea lies at the center of triangle consisting of North East Asia, China, Japan, Russia, and the United States, advanced medical technology, and less-expensive cost make Korea an excellent candidate to become the center of medical tourism. Therefore, this article seeks out swift measures in preparation of advanced medical services for foreign patients. Specifically, the measures focus on former-Soviet Union patients, who constitute a large portion of foreign patients. The research examines the situation and pathological pattern of these former Soviet Union patients, followed by an analysis of the problems of Russian medical institutions and the causes. The article then points out some potential problems foreign patients might encounter in Korean medical industry and suggests means to improve those situations, thereby aiming at providing an advanced, timely Korean medical service. Ultimately, the most important purpose is to predict how this new industry brings about economic ripple effects, such as added value, profit, and creation of jobs and to examine the industry’s impact on the national brand of Korea and economy.