Foreign Tourist Pharmacy Spending Soars in Busan, Jeju, Incheon

Foreign tourist pharmacy consumption increased markedly in regional markets. In Busan and Jeju, where medical tourism is expanding rapidly, pharmacy spending grew more than six times and four times, respectively, compared with the previous year. In Incheon, pharmacy consumption also exceeded three times the prior‑year level, showing that rising medical‑tourism expenditure is extending to local pharmacies. According to the Korea Tourism Organization’s recent "These Days, Korean Tourism" report, foreign medical‑tourism spending in Busan from January to July rose 118.4% year‑on‑year. Pharmacy sales in that period amounted to 222 billion KRW, a 591.2% increase from the previous year. Dermatology spending for the same timeframe was 306 billion KRW.