How Foreign Patients Can Obtain Medical Records in Korea

A practical guide for foreign patients on requesting complete medical records from Korean hospitals and clinics.

Quick Answer

Under Korean law, patients have the right to access their medical records, and hospitals are required to provide them on request. Foreign patients should request the complete set — not a summary — in writing, and an attorney can demand the records through formal procedures if a hospital delays or refuses.

Key Risks & Immediate Steps

Request records early, before a claim is anticipated, to reduce the risk of loss or alteration.
Keep dated copies of every request and all correspondence with the hospital.
Altering medical records to conceal negligence is itself a serious matter in Korea.

What to Request

Ask for your complete records: admission and discharge summaries, physician progress notes, consultation reports, nursing records, medication administration records, diagnostic imaging reports and the images themselves, laboratory results, operative reports, and consent forms. What appears minor can be the key to a case.

How to Make the Request

Submit a written request to the hospital's medical records department, specify that you want your complete records, and bring your passport as identification. A modest copying fee may apply. Keep a dated copy of your request.

If the Hospital Delays or Refuses

Unreasonable refusal can itself be significant in a subsequent malpractice case. Your attorney can demand the records through formal legal procedures and, where necessary, raise the hospital's non-cooperation in the claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be in Korea to request my records?

No. You can submit a request, and your attorney can make and pursue the request on your behalf if you are abroad.

What if I cannot read Korean?

Your attorney can arrange professional translation. Medical records require translation by someone familiar with medical terminology, beyond what machine translation reliably provides.

What if records are missing?

Gaps in documentation can be as significant as the records themselves, because they may suggest that care was not provided. Your attorney can investigate and, where relevant, raise this in the claim.

Need Help Obtaining Your Records?

Contact us and we will explain exactly what to request and how to pursue records if the hospital delays, and review them with medical and legal expertise.

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