(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) South Korea saw its surplus in its health tourism account top US$100 million last year, largely thanks to increased spending by overseas travelers seeking healthcare and medical services in the country, data showed on Wednesday.
According to the data compiled by the Bank of Korea (BOK), the country's income from medical tourism reached $187 million in the first 11 months of last year, up 35.3% from $138 million a year earlier, marking the biggest tally since the central bank began to keep related data in 200
The income outpaced local residents' overseas spending on medical travel, which amounted to $86.4 million during the cited period, down 11.2% from a year earlier, according to South Korea's (Yonhap) News Agenc
Consequently, the country logged a surplus of some $101 million in health tourism in the January-November period, compared with a surplus of $41 million a year earlie
South Korea's medical travel income came in at $59 million in 2006 but has increased steadily on the back of the advancement of medical technology and regional governments' efforts to attract overseas patient
The income gained steadily from $69.8 million in 2007 to $89.5 million in 201
The comparable figures for 2011 and 2012 were $131 million and $149 millio
South Korean residents' overseas expenditures on health-related services reached a peak in 2007 at $137 million and then fell to $96 million in 2009 before rebounding to $109 million in 201
They spent $78.5 million and $105 million, respectively, in 2011 and 201
The country logged its first surplus in medical tourism in 2011 at $52.2 millio
In 2012, the surplus fell to $43.8 million
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