Trust Centre
Seoul Cosmetic Surgery (SCS) is a government-registered medical tourism facilitation agency in Seoul. We have helped international patients plan cosmetic surgery and treatment in Korea since 2016. We are not a clinic and we do not perform medical procedures. Our role is to help you choose, prepare and recover with someone on your side.
This page sets out the facts you should check before trusting any agency, including ours.
1. Our registration
Korean law requires any business that introduces foreign patients to medical institutions for a fee to register as a foreign patient attraction (facilitation) business.
- Registration number: A-2016-01-01-2642
- Registered since: 2016
- Operating company: East Meets West Inc. (Business Registration 895-88-00478)
- Office: 322, 3F, 464 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
You can verify any agency’s registration through the official Medical Korea registered facilitator search. If an agency cannot give you its registration number, we suggest you ask why.
2. We are an agency, not a medical provider
All consultations, diagnoses and procedures are carried out by licensed doctors at independent partner clinics and hospitals. Your surgeon is responsible for medical decisions, including whether a procedure is suitable for you. SCS is responsible for coordination, interpretation, advocacy and logistics.
3. How we choose partner clinics
We work with more than 30 partner clinics and hospitals in Seoul. Before we introduce patients to a clinic, we check:
- that the clinic is a licensed medical institution and registered to treat foreign patients
- the surgeon’s qualifications and the procedures they regularly perform, which we research before introducing any patient
- the facilities, including anesthesia arrangements, recovery rooms and emergency transfer arrangements
- how the clinic communicates with international patients and handles follow-up
We review these relationships every year, and stop introducing patients to a clinic if there is a history of patient dissatisfaction or we have concerns about trust.
4. What you pay, and how we are paid
We believe you should know how an agency earns its money.
- Your medical fees are quoted by the clinic and paid directly to the clinic.
- Our service fee: patients pay SCS no service fee. A US$300 deposit is taken when you book. Expenses we pay on your behalf during your stay, such as meals ordered to your accommodation, taxis and prescriptions, are deducted from it. The balance is refunded when your treatments total US$5,000 or more; if they total less, the deposit is retained as our coordination fee. Full details are on our fees page.
- Clinic payments to SCS: SCS is paid by its partner clinics, as permitted under Korean law for registered facilitators. It is paid by the clinic, not added to your bill.
We do not recommend a clinic because of the fee it pays us; a clinic’s fee never changes which surgeon we recommend. If you would like to see exactly what is included in your plan, ask your coordinator for a written breakdown before you travel.
5. Your consultation and your choice
We can arrange consultations at more than one clinic so you can compare surgeons and treatment plans. We will help you understand the differences, but the decision is always yours, and you are never obliged to book surgery after a consultation. Our booking deposit terms are set out on our fees page.
6. Aftercare and what happens if something does not feel right
Our support continues after your procedure:
- daily recovery check-ins on WhatsApp during your stay in Seoul
- accompaniment to every post-operative appointment, including follow-up visits
- help communicating with your clinic after you return home, for as long as you need it
If you have a concern during recovery, contact your coordinator on WhatsApp, 24/7 during your stay. We will contact your clinic on your behalf and, where needed, arrange for you to be seen. In an emergency, call 119 in Korea or your local emergency number at home.
If you are unhappy with our service, please tell us at info@seoulcosmeticsurgery.com. We will respond within 24 hours. Patients may also contact the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency, the government body that handles medical disputes in Korea.
7. Your privacy
We share your medical information only with the clinics you choose to consult, and only with your consent. Our privacy policy explains how we handle your data. We never use patient photos or stories without written consent.
8. Experience
Since 2016, SCS has supported more than 5,000 patients from more than 20 countries, mainly the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. You can read what patients say on our reviews page.
Questions about this page
If anything here is unclear, please contact us. We would rather you ask before you travel than after.