Starting May 20, 2024, you will need to show ID when you go to a hospital or pharmacy in South Korea.
The ID will be your passport or foreigner’s registration card.
On May 19, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that an amendment to the National Health Insurance Act will take effect on May 20, requiring health insurance IDs to be checked at medical facilities nationwide.
This is a measure to prevent people from fraudulently obtaining health insurance, borrowing or stealing health insurance cards, and buying medicine under someone else’s name.
A government-issued ID is a document issued by an administrative or public agency that contains a photograph and a national identification number, such as a health insurance card, national ID card, driver’s license, passport, or alien registration card.
You can also use electronic IDs, such as e-signature certificates, public certificates, simple authentication, and mobile driver’s licenses.
ID verification will be performed during your first visit to the hospital and not again for six months.