Does KOIHA certification apply to clinics, or only to hospitals?

KOIHA certification (의료기관 인증) is for 병원급 hospitals, voluntary for most and required for 요양병원, and a 의원 may apply once it is registered to attract foreign patients. Every other clinic answers to the 의료법 directly, and a clinic treating patients from abroad can also seek the foreign patient accreditation KOIHA surveys.

What the law says KOIHA certifies

Under 의료법 제58조, the Minister of Health and Welfare may certify 병원급 institutions and the institutions a presidential decree names, to raise the quality of care and patient safety, and entrusts the work to KOIHA.¹ The decree names two, an institution registered under 의료해외진출법 제6조 제1항 to attract foreign patients, and a hospice institution.² KOIHA describes the scheme as an absolute evaluation against published standards, with a mark valid four years.³ The KOIHA and 의료법 hub shows where each provider sits.

Voluntary, required and needed for something else

Hospitals apply when they choose, at least two months before the survey. 요양병원 have had to apply since 2013 under 의료법 제58조의4 제2항.⁴ Certification is also the condition for designation as a 상급종합병원, a 전문병원, a training hospital, a research hospital or a rehabilitation institution, and for a hospital to be designated to attract foreign patients.⁴

1. Name your type. 의원, 병원, 종합병원, 요양병원 or another type under 의료법 제3조.
2. Check your foreign patient registration. A 의원 registered with the 시도지사 under 의료해외진출법 제6조 제1항 may apply for 인증.
3. List the designations you want. 상급종합병원, 전문병원 and training status all require 인증 first.
4. Choose the scheme. 인증 for a hospital, the foreign patient accreditation for a registered clinic, or both.
5. Pick the standards. 급성기병원 인증기준 Ver. 5.0 for acute hospitals, and the 기본 인증 for others from November 2026.

1. Institution ______ Type under 의료법 제3조 ______
2. Registered under 의료해외진출법 제6조, yes or no ______
3. Designations wanted ______
4. Scheme chosen ______ Standards ______
5. Target survey month ______ Owner ______

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The 기본 인증, starting November 2026

KOIHA announced on 18 September 2026 that the 의료기관 기본 인증 applies from surveys in November 2026 to 병원급 institutions that apply under 의료법 제58조의4, except 요양병원, which must apply, and 상급종합병원, which need designation requirements.⁶ Its standards sit in KOIHA's evaluation system. The foreign patient accreditation is a separate scheme, which a registered 의원 applies for directly.⁵

Questions

Can a 의원 get KOIHA certification?

Yes, if it is registered under 의료해외진출법 제6조 제1항 to attract foreign patients. 의료법 시행령 제28조 names those institutions alongside 병원급 hospitals.

Is KOIHA certification mandatory?

Only for 요양병원. Other hospitals apply voluntarily, though certification is needed for designations such as 상급종합병원 and 전문병원.

Who issues the certificate?

The Minister of Health and Welfare, with the survey and the grading entrusted to KOIHA. The certificate is issued under 의료법 제58조 and 제58조의3.

Sources

1. 1국가법령정보센터, Ministry of Government Legislation, 2026의료법, 법률 제21490호, in force 2 October 2026Read source
2. 2국가법령정보센터, Ministry of Government Legislation, 2026의료법 시행령, 대통령령 제36083호, in force 10 February 2026Read source
3. 3의료기관평가인증원 (KOIHA), 2026의료기관 인증, 인증제란Read source
4. 4의료기관평가인증원 (KOIHA), 2026의료기관 인증, 인증절차Read source
5. 5의료기관평가인증원 (KOIHA), 2026외국인환자 유치의료기관 평가인증Read source
6. 6의료기관평가인증원 (KOIHA), 2026의료기관 기본 인증 추진 계획 안내, 18 September 2026Read source

Written by the wai team from Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation (의료기관평가인증원) guidance, checked on 16 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. Neither the Ministry of Health and Welfare nor KOIHA endorses wai or any software.