Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH)

Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) is South Korea's premier academic medical center and the nation's top-ranked hospital. Founded in 1885, SNUH holds the distinction of being the oldest Western-style hospital in Korea and the birthplace of modern Korean medicine, established as the Royal Hospital during the Joseon Dynasty. With 1779 beds and a comprehensive range of medical specialties, Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) serves as the primary teaching hospital of Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea's most prestigious medical school, treating over 40,000 international patients annually from more than 100 countries. The hospital holds JCI accreditation, confirming adherence to the highest international standards of patient safety, clinical quality, and healthcare governance. These accreditations are renewed through rigorous periodic audits evaluating infection control protocols, medication management, clinical outcomes, and patient rights. The hospital consistently ranks among the top medical institutions in South Korea. The Oncology Department at SNUH is one of the most comprehensive cancer centers in Asia, treating over 30,000 new cancer patients annually. The Cancer Hospital provides advanced treatment modalities including proton therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic radiosurgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy (including CAR-T cell therapy), targeted therapy, and surgical oncology using robotic and minimally invasive techniques. The center is particularly renowned for outcomes in gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and hematological malignancies. SNUH's cancer research program is among the most prolific in Asia, with participation in hundreds of international clinical trials. Cardiac Sciences encompass one of Asia's most experienced cardiology and cardiac surgery programs. Services include coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), minimally invasive cardiac surgery, heart valve repair and replacement, TAVI, cardiac electrophysiology with catheter ablation, mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation, and comprehensive interventional cardiology. The cardiovascular center has performed thousands of open-heart surgeries with outcomes benchmarked against the best international results. The Organ Transplant Center is one of Asia's largest and most active transplant programs, performing kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, and lung transplants. SNUH pioneered several transplant techniques in Korea and maintains an active living-donor transplant program with excellent long-term graft survival rates, including multi-organ transplantation and re-transplantation for complex cases. Neurosciences cover comprehensive neurological and neurosurgical care including brain tumor surgery with intraoperative MRI, cerebrovascular surgery, functional neurosurgery including deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, epilepsy surgery, spinal surgery, and neurorehabilitation. The stroke center provides 24/7 emergency stroke care with thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy capabilities. Orthopedic surgery services include total joint replacement, arthroscopic surgery, spinal surgery, sports medicine, hand microsurgery, pediatric orthopedics, and musculoskeletal tumor surgery. Fertility services include IVF, ICSI, and preimplantation genetic testing. Gastroenterology is one of the most experienced departments in Asia, performing tens of thousands of endoscopic procedures including endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Robotic Surgery utilizes da Vinci systems and is one of the highest-volume robotic surgery centers globally. Ophthalmology and Dermatology provide advanced subspecialty care. The International Healthcare Center provides comprehensive services for overseas patients including multilingual coordinators (English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Mongolian), medical visa assistance, airport transfers, hotel arrangements, insurance coordination, and telemedicine consultations. SNUH treats over 40,000 international patients annually from more than 100 countries. Cost advantages are significant, with procedures at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) typically costing 30-50% less than equivalent treatments in the United States. This pricing includes surgeon fees, hospital charges, diagnostics, medications, and post-operative care. The combination of internationally accredited quality, experienced medical specialists, modern technology, and competitive pricing makes Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) an attractive destination for medical tourists from around the world. The hospital is accessible via Seoul's extensive metro system (Hyehwa Station, Line 4) and is approximately 60 minutes from Incheon International Airport.