Deposit and cancellation terms are set by each clinic individually; no single binding rule applies across Gangnam-gu. A refund schedule attributed to the Korea Consumer Agency for surgery cancellations is commonly cited on official pages, but its legal status is not confirmed. Visitors should request each clinic's written policy directly and ask specific questions before paying any deposit.
Individual Clinic Policies
Gangnam Medical Tour Center's official FAQ states that deposit refund standards for clinics vary by institution and follow each clinic's own internal regulations. Where no prior contract or separate notice covers the refund policy, the FAQ notes that a refund inquiry may still be raised.
This means there is no government-set deposit percentage that automatically applies to every clinic. Any cancellation terms a visitor encounters should be confirmed with the specific clinic in writing before a deposit is paid.
A Commonly Cited Refund Schedule
The same Gangnam Medical Tour Center FAQ cites a schedule attributed to the Korea Consumer Agency, specifically for surgery: a 90 percent refund if cancelled three days before the scheduled surgery date, 50 percent at two days before, 20 percent at one day before, and no refund on the day of surgery or after. Similar figures, also stated for surgery, appear on the government-linked Visit Korea English-language page.
Official sources do not clarify whether this surgery-specific schedule is a binding legal rule or a non-binding mediation guideline. The source text specifies it for surgery and does not state whether the same percentages apply to non-surgical medical services. It should be treated as a reference point to raise with a clinic, not a guaranteed entitlement.
Booking Intermediaries and Registration
Separately from deposit percentages, Korean law addresses who may lawfully arrange or charge fees for attracting foreign patients. The Act on Support for Overseas Expansion of Medical Korea and Attraction of International Patients sets penalties for persons acting as patient-attraction agents without required registration.
This registration requirement concerns the legality of an intermediary's role, not the amount or timing of a deposit refund. A listing or marketing claim by an agency or facilitator does not by itself confirm registered status.
Questions Worth Asking Before Booking
These are suggested questions for a clinic or contact person, not confirmed facts about any specific clinic. Ask whether the clinic has its own written deposit and cancellation policy available in advance, and whether it follows, differs from, or exceeds the commonly cited surgery-cancellation percentage schedule.
Also ask whether the schedule counts calendar or business days, from what reference date, how and when a refund would actually be paid, whether any dispute-resolution process is referenced, and whether a separate intermediary or agency is involved in the booking and fee.
Common questions
Is there one official cancellation policy for all Gangnam-gu clinics?
No. Official sources state that deposit refund standards are set by each clinic individually; there is no single centralized rule confirmed for all clinics.
What refund percentages are commonly referenced?
A schedule attributed to the Korea Consumer Agency is cited on official pages specifically for surgery: 90 percent at three days before the surgery date, 50 percent at two days, 20 percent at one day, and no refund on or after the surgery date. Its binding legal status is not confirmed, and its application to non-surgical services is not stated in the source text.
Does a website or listing confirm a clinic's or agency's legal registration?
No. A foreign-language website or marketing claim is not proof of registered status. Separate law sets registration requirements and penalties for unregistered patient-attraction activity, a different matter from deposit terms.