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The revision restricts the number of sickbeds available for foreign patients to 5 percent or less of the total. The move comes due to concerns that hospitals will focus too heavily on profits from foreign "medical tourists" while shunning domestic patients once the country deregulates the medical sector. The government has been announcing deregulation measures to promote medical tourism.

Foreigners who have lived in Korea for more than 90 days are classified as domestic patients and excluded from the quota.

Some 44 large hospitals such as Samsung Medical Center and Yonsei Severance Hospital fall under the 5 percent rule. They were selected because they often face a long line of domestic patients. Other hospitals will be free to provide as many sickbeds as they wish to foreign patients.

In line with medical tourism goals, another revision allows hospitals and related institutions to conduct marketing campaigns both at home and abroad. Until now, this was considered unethical.

The ministry noted that it will consider raising the 5 percent threshold if the country sees a major rise in the number of medical tourists. It plans to implement the measure in May after hearing public opinions in the next two months for a possible readjustment. The government aims to attract over 100,000 medical tourists and create 6,000 jobs by 2010 through the initiatives.

Arirang News