Payment Methods Korean Clinics Accept
Major clinics in Gangnam — Seoul’s primary aesthetic medicine district — are set up for international patients and accept multiple payment methods. Smaller or non-tourist-focused clinics may have narrower options, so confirm accepted methods at your initial consultation.
| Method | Accepted at | FX cost | Notes | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wire transfer (SWIFT) | All major Gangnam clinics | Bank spread: 0.5–2% | Standard for deposits (10–30% of fee); balance due before surgery date | Wire fraud if bank details unverified — always confirm by phone |
| Credit card (Visa/Mastercard) | All major Gangnam clinics | 1.5–3% foreign transaction fee from issuing bank | Convenient for balance payments; clinic may add a card surcharge of 1–2% | Chargeback rights vary; confirm with your bank before travel |
| Debit card — no FX fee (Charles Schwab, Wise, Revolut) | All major Gangnam clinics | Near-zero; mid-market rate | Best rate option for card payments; transaction limits may apply on large sums | Single-transaction limits may require splitting payments |
| Cash (Korean Won — KRW) | Most clinics | Depends on where you exchange — see Currency section | Acceptable for smaller payments; most clinics prefer card or wire for surgical fees | Risk of carrying large cash sums; no fraud protection |
| Wise / Revolut (transfer) | Clinics with Korean bank accounts | 0.3–1% over mid-market | Competitive alternative to bank wire for deposits; confirm clinic accepts fintech transfers | Lower name recognition — confirm receipt with clinic |
BPSK price data is based on direct clinic consultation quotes collected between January and July 2026, spanning economy, mid-range, and premium clinics.¹ ² Published ranges are not guarantees — final quotes depend on individual surgical assessment.³
Wire Transfer: How the Deposit Works
Most Korean clinics require a deposit to secure a surgery date. Deposits typically run 10–30% of the total surgical fee, paid by international wire transfer (SWIFT) to the clinic’s Korean bank account. The balance is due before the surgery date — either wired in a second transfer or paid by card at the clinic.
How the process works:
- The clinic issues a deposit invoice showing the surgical fee, deposit amount, and their bank account details (bank name, account number, account holder name, SWIFT/BIC code, branch address).
- You initiate the wire from your bank. Allow 2–5 business days for international SWIFT transfers to clear.
- The clinic confirms receipt and locks your surgery date.
- The remaining balance is settled before your procedure — either by a second wire or by card on arrival.
Note that the surgical fee quoted is the base fee only. Anesthesia, facility fee, and post-operative medications are billed separately.⁴ A typical Korean general anesthesia fee runs ₩300,000–800,000 (≈$216–576 / ≈A$330–880); facility fees add ₩200,000–500,000 (≈$144–360 / ≈A$220–550).⁵ USD and AUD conversions use July 2026 rates: 1 KRW = 0.00072 USD; 1 KRW = 0.0011 AUD.⁶ ⁷
Wire fraud caution: fraudsters targeting medical tourists intercept clinic email communications and replace bank details with their own. Verify all bank account details by phone directly with the clinic before initiating any wire. International wires cannot be recalled once processed.
Currency Exchange in Korea
Exchanging money after you arrive in Korea consistently produces better rates than exchanging at home or at the airport.
Myeongdong money changers (Seoul’s central shopping district) are the benchmark for competitive retail exchange rates. Licensed private exchange booths in Myeongdong typically beat airport desks by 2–4% and home-country bank rates by 3–6%. The booths are regulated, widely used by tourists, and safe.
Gimpo and Incheon Airport exchange desks offer convenience on arrival but at notably worse rates — acceptable for small amounts (taxi, first meal) but not for large sums.
ATMs in Korea (7-Eleven, GS25, Woori Bank, KEB Hana Bank) dispense KRW against foreign cards. Fees depend on your issuing bank’s international ATM withdrawal policy. Charles Schwab and Starling Bank reimburse ATM fees; most traditional banks do not.
Practical note: carrying large cash sums to pay a surgical fee in full is uncommon and most clinics prefer card or wire for amounts above ₩1M (≈$720 / ≈A$1,100). Cash is practical for incidentals, meals, taxis, and small clinic co-payments.
VAT and Tax Refund
부가가치세 (bugagachise, Value Added Tax) of 10% applies to cosmetic and aesthetic surgery services in Korea. This VAT is included in clinic-quoted surgical fees — clinics are required to charge it and it is not separately negotiable.
Tourist VAT refund: does not apply to surgery. Korea’s tourist tax refund scheme (operated through Global Blue and similar operators) covers retail goods purchased from registered Tax Free Shopping retailers. Medical and surgical services are explicitly excluded from the refund program. Foreign patients cannot reclaim VAT on surgical fees, anesthesia fees, or clinic consultation charges.
What this means in practice: if a clinic quotes you a surgical fee of ₩5,000,000 (≈$3,600 / ≈A$5,500 at July 2026 rates⁶ ⁷), that figure already includes VAT. There is no post-trip refund mechanism for that tax component.
You may, however, claim refunds on retail purchases — skincare products, clothing, electronics — made at registered retailers during your trip, provided individual purchases exceed the minimum threshold (typically ₩30,000 per receipt).
Is it safe to wire money to a Korean clinic?
Wiring to established KHIDI-registered Korean clinics is standard practice and safe when you verify bank account details directly — ideally via phone call or in-person confirmation, not solely via email. Wire fraud targeting medical tourists is a known risk: fraudsters intercept emails and substitute their own account details. Once sent, international wires cannot be recalled. KHIDI-registered facilitators add an accountability layer by taking responsibility for correct clinic bank details.
Can I pay for Korean plastic surgery with Wise or Revolut?
Wise and Revolut issue Visa/Mastercard debit cards that work at Korean clinic terminals, usually with better exchange rates and zero foreign transaction fees. Load KRW onto Wise before your trip to lock in the rate. Transaction limits apply — a ₩8M fee may require splitting across multiple transactions or combining card and wire. Confirm the clinic's card limit at your pre-op consultation. Wise also sends international transfers at competitive rates as an alternative to bank wire for deposits.
Do Korean clinics give receipts for surgery?
Yes — established Korean clinics issue official receipts (영수증, yeong-su-jeung) for all payments. Request itemised receipts showing the surgical fee, anesthesia fee, and facility fee separately. These support insurance claims (some international health policies cover complications from elective surgery), any K-MEDI dispute process, and your own records. A clinic reluctant to issue an itemised receipt is a red flag.