All Koreans have been receiving health care through health insurance and medical aids since the universal health insurance system was adopted in 1989. By the end of 2008, the population receiving health insurance benefits (including Koreans and foreigners) totaled 48.16 million, with 1.84 million eligible for medical aids .

The numbers of Korea's healthcare providers and hospital beds have been continuously rising, and by 2008 the total number of healthcare providers was 54, 165 or about 1.4 times that of 2000.

Dental hospitals numbered 184, whereas the number of traditional medicine hospitals marked 139. With the increase in the number of healthcare providers, the number of hospital beds also rose to 478,654 or by 1.7 times compared to 288,953 in 2001.

To improve the efficiency in medical system and achieve high-quality medical services in Korea, the universal health insurance system was implemented in 1989, followed by the medical service delivery system classifying healthcare providers into the following care levels; primary, secondary, and tertiary. This system is designed to encourage patients to access healthcare providers of different care levels depending on the seriousness of their illness as well as the convenience of access. Patients with minor illnesses can use local clinics (primary), while those with more serious complications can use hospitals (secondary), general hospitals (secondary) or total care general hospitals (secondary and tertiary). A clinic in Korea refers to a healthcare provider with up to 29 beds. A hospital means a healthcare provider with 30 or more beds.

A general hospital pertains to a healthcare provider with 100 or more beds. A general hospital having 100~300 beds must have at least 7 medical departments including radiology, anesthetics & pain medicine, health screening, or pathology in addition to any 3 among internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics & gynecology and each department is required to be staffed with specialists. A general hospital having more than 300 beds needs to have 9 medical departments including dentistry and psychiatry in addition to the requirement of medical specialists in each medical department.

A general hospital must be equipped with both human and other physical resources necessary to treat patients with serious illnesses and are designated as general hospital in consideration of region's needs. Only the patients who have already obtained a doctor's referral from a clinic or a hospital are admitted for treatments, except in emergency situations.

Emergency medical providers are categorized into central- , zone- , specialized- , local- , and local branch emergency healthcare center. In Korea, there are a total of 455 emergency medical providers.

Currently in Korea, all Koreans are covered by health insurance policy and medical aids under the National Health Insurance Act. By the end of 2008, the population covered by health insurance was about 48.16 million, and approximately 1.84 million were covered by the medical aids.

Although Korea's health insurance and medical delivery system do not apply to foreign patients who do not reside in Korea when they are treated in one of the registered providers, the number of sickbeds for foreign patients is not allowed to exceed 5% of the total sickbeds at tertiary care facilities.

Numerous healthcare providers offer world-class medical services, armed with an international treatment center as well as coordinators who fluently speak in English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and other languages, in charge of foreigners, facilitating communications. Foreigners can inquire about treatments through each provider's international treatment center or the coordinators in charge of foreign patient affairs. Patients obtain consultation from physicians on treatment options prior to making a decision for treatment.