South Korea has 3 hospitals ranked among the world's best for heart surgery and treatments.
Asan Medical Centre ranked #17 globally for cardiology in 2026. Samsung Medical Centre ranked #1 in South Korea across all specialties. Severance Cardiovascular Hospital performed Korea's first heart surgery in 1956 and entered the global cardiac surgery top 130 for the first time in 2026.
All 3 are in Seoul. All 3 serve international patients. Which one is right depends on your procedure.
My 1Health is a global medical tourism company that has partnered with Asan Medical Centre, Samsung Medical Centre, and Severance Hospital to help international patients access cardiac treatments and surgery in Seoul at no additional cost.
We coordinate the entire process: medical report review by the hospital's specialist team, 24/7 patient support, treatment plan, visa, travel, and on-ground support
This guide covers each hospital's verified 2026 rankings, procedures, clinical volumes, costs, and how to get started from abroad.
Speak to a My 1Health patient support specialist
Use this to find your hospital quickly. Full profiles follow below.
- Asan Medical Centre Heart Institute, Seoul
- Samsung Medical Centre Heart Centre, Seoul
- Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul
Best Heart Surgery Hospitals in South Korea: Quick Overview
South Korea's best heart surgery hospitals for international patients are Asan Medical Centre, Samsung Medical Centre, and Severance Hospital; all in Seoul.
| Hospital | Newsweek 2026 Cardiology Rank | Newsweek 2026 Cardiac Surgery Rank | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asan Medical Centre | #17 globally | #30 globally | Asia's highest TAVR volume; #1 interventional cardiology globally (TCT 2024) |
| Samsung Medical Centre | #56 globally | #87 globally | Highest CABG volume in Korea; sub-1% surgical mortality |
| Severance Hospital | #118 globally | #130 globally | World's first 50,000 robotic surgeries; Korea's PFA pioneer |
All 3 hold JCI accreditation and operate dedicated international patient centres with multilingual support.
Asan Medical Centre: Heart Surgery for International Patients
Newsweek 2026: #17 globally, cardiology | #30 globally, cardiac surgery | #1 Asia Pacific, cardiac surgery
Asan Medical Centre's Heart Institute has been operating since 1989.
In 2022, it recorded 200,000+ outpatient visits and 60,000 inpatient admissions for cardiac conditions. That volume alone comes from 35 years of specialised cardiac focus.
At the 2024 TCT (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics) conference, the world's largest interventional cardiology symposium, Asan's Heart Institute was ranked #1 globally for research and clinical impact in interventional cardiovascular medicine.
What Asan treats and at what volume:
| Treatment | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| TAVR (minimally invasive valve replacement) | 99% success rate across 2,000+ cases; 1st in Asia to reach 2,000 |
| Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) | World's first left main coronary stent procedure (1997) |
| Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) | 90% performed off-pump, on a beating heart |
| Valve surgery | Minimally invasive approaches available |
| Heart transplantation | 800+ lifetime transplants; 45% of all Korean heart transplants |
| Pacemaker implantation | Korea's first ICD implantation (1996) |
| Radiofrequency catheter ablation | For atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) treatment |
| LVAD implantation | Mechanical heart support for end-stage heart failure |
Contact Asan International Patient Support Specialist
TAVR explained: TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) replaces a damaged aortic valve through a small catheter inserted via the groin artery.
Asan is the only TAVI Teaching Centre of Excellence in Asia; all other designated centres are in the US or Europe.
International patient access:
- Offers interpretation in 7 languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Mongolian, Arabic, Vietnamese.
- Direct insurance billing covers Cigna, Bupa, United Healthcare, others.
- MOUs with the embassies of the USA, UAE, Ghana, Nigeria, and Indonesia are in place.
- 4,000+ international patients and 1,500 international physicians from 40 countries have visited for cardiac care.
Asan's cardiac page: Asan Medical Centre, Heart Treatments, Seoul
Samsung Medical Centre: Cardiac Surgery Seoul
Samsung Medical Centre was founded in 1994. JCI accredited. Treated patients from 120+ countries.
What makes Samsung's cardiac programme distinct:
Samsung's Heart Centre runs 6 cardiology specialist teams: Coronary Artery, Arrhythmia, Heart Failure and Transplantation, Valve, Pulmonary Hypertension, and Congenital Heart Disease.
Each team holds its own clinical meetings and manages its own subspecialty caseload.
A patient with valve disease and heart failure is managed jointly, not sequentially.
Coronary bypass surgery (CABG):
Samsung performs the highest volume of CABG in Korea. Around 80% are done off-pump (on a beating heart), without a heart-lung machine.
The early postoperative mortality rate is consistently below 1%, with international benchmarks for CABG mortality being 1%- 3% at high-volume centres.
Valve surgery:
Samsung's Valve Team reports the highest volume of valvular heart surgeries in Korea, with a surgical mortality rate of approximately 0.5%.
It was the first hospital in Korea to introduce TAVR. Zero surgical mortality in recent years for aortic valve surgery.
Asia's first Mayo Clinic Collaborative Imaging Centre:
Samsung's Heart Vascular Stroke Institute operates the first Mayo Clinic Collaborative Imaging Centre in Asia.
The One Day Diagnostic System delivers full cardiac evaluation (CT, MRI, echocardiography) in a single outpatient visit, with same-day results.
Contact Samsung International Patient Support Specialist
Heart failure, LVAD, and transplantation:
Samsung was Korea's first dedicated ECMO and LVAD centre.
LVAD as permanent therapy (for patients not eligible for transplant) is available.
A specialist Cardiac Amyloidosis clinic treats an often missed cause of heart failure.
Arrhythmia:
Samsung's Arrhythmia Team performs the highest number of CRT (Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy, which coordinates the heart's chambers to beat in sync) procedures in Korea.
It is the only high-volume lead extraction centre in the country, with 50+ cases per year.
Pulmonary hypertension:
Samsung was first in Korea to treat chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH- elevated blood pressure in the lung arteries caused by old blood clots) using a catheter-based procedure, in 2015.
International patient access:
Handles preadmission coordination, medical record review, cost estimation, and interpretation in English, Mandarin, and Arabic. Direct insurance billing available.
Get a treatment plan and cost estimate at Samsung Medical Centre
Severance Hospital Cardiac Surgery Seoul
Newsweek 2026: #118 globally, cardiology
Severance Cardiovascular Hospital opened as Korea's first specialist cardiovascular hospital in 1991. Its cardiac programme predates every South Korean ranking by decades.
Robotic cardiac surgery:
In 2024, Severance became the world's first single institution to reach 50,000 robotic surgeries.
12 surgical robots; for cardiac patients, robotic options are available for valve repair, coronary procedures, and arrhythmia surgery.
What Severance's cardiac programme covers:
- Off-pump CABG (coronary bypass on a beating heart)
- Valve repair and replacement, including minimally invasive approaches
- Heart transplantation (performed since 1994; 10-year survival rate 71.7%, in line with international benchmarks)
- LVAD implantation (mechanical heart support for end-stage failure)
- Aortic surgery, including emergency aortic dissection repair
- Congenital and paediatric heart surgery (Korea's first independent paediatric cardiology department)
Contact Severance International Patient Support Specialist
Atrial fibrillation and pulsed field ablation:
Severance was the first hospital in Korea to introduce pulsed field ablation (PFA) for atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat caused by erratic electrical signals in the heart) in December 2024.
PFA uses targeted electrical pulses to eliminate the tissue causing the irregular rhythm, with a procedure time under one hour.
By early 2025, Severance had performed 500 PFA procedures, first in Korea to reach this milestone, and has since been designated an international PFA training centre.
Cardiac imaging:
Severance established Korea's first independent cardiac imaging department.
It introduced coronary artery CT and myocardial viability MRI to Korea.
Current equipment includes second-generation dual-energy CTs and dual transmitter MRIs optimised for cardiac imaging.
International patient services:
- Severance's International Healthcare Center has served overseas patients since 1962.
- Interpretation available in Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Mongolian, and English.
- Dedicated coordinators for patients from Russia, Kazakhstan, China, and Arabic-speaking countries.
- Specialist review of submitted records within 24 hours.
- Embassy medical provider for 9 countries including the USA, Russia, Canada, China, and Australia.
Enquire about cardiac surgery at Severance Hospital
Heart Surgery Cost in South Korea (2026): What to Expect
The figures below are for international patients. Korean national health insurance is not accessible to overseas patients for scheduled procedures.
| Procedure | South Korea (USD) | India (USD) | Thailand (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coronary Bypass (CABG) | $18,000–$28,000 | $5,000–$10,000 | $12,000–$22,000 |
| Valve Replacement (single) | $20,000–$32,000 | $6,000–$12,000 | $14,000-$25,000 |
| TAVR | $28,000-$45,000 | $12,000–$18,000 | $18,000–$30,000 |
| Heart Transplant | $40,000–$80,000 | $25,000–$45,000 | $35,000–$60,000 |
| Pacemaker Implantation | $10,000–$18,000 | $4,000–$8,000 | $8,000–$14,000 |
| Angioplasty (PCI) | $9,000–$18,000 | $3,500–$7,000 | $7,000–$14,000 |
Estimates for 2026. Final cost depends on procedure complexity, pre-operative tests, and length of stay. Request a written estimate based on your reports before travelling.
What's Included and What's Not in Seoul Cardiac Packages
Included:
Procedure, theatre and anaesthesia, ICU stay, ward accommodation during recovery, nursing, standard post-operative tests.
Not automatically included:
- Pre-operative diagnostics (cardiac CT, echocardiogram, blood tests) needed before surgery is confirmed
- Interpretation and international patient coordination fees, which some hospitals charge separately
- Accommodation after hospital discharge but before you are cleared to fly
- Flights and travel insurance
- Companion accommodation and daily costs
- Post-discharge medications
In our experience coordinating cardiac patients to Seoul, the full out-of-pocket cost including accommodation, travel, and a companion adds USD 3,000 to USD 8,000 on top of the hospital cost.
We give every patient a realistic total figure before they commit to anything. This is completely free for the patient.
Get a full cost breakdown for heart surgery in Seoul
How to Get Heart Surgery in South Korea from Abroad
Getting cardiac surgery in Seoul as an international patient is a structured process. My 1Health handles every step at no cost to you.
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1. Share your medical reports
Send your diagnosis, recent scans, echocardiogram, angiography results, and blood work via a secure link.
The more complete your records, the faster and more specific the response.
2. Hospital specialist review
My 1Health forwards your reports to the cardiac specialist team at the hospital you have chosen. The hospital's multidisciplinary cardiac team reviews your case.
3. Treatment plan and cost estimate
Within 24 to 48 hours, the hospital returns a tailored treatment plan and itemised cost estimate covering the procedure, required pre-operative investigations, and hospital stay.
4. Appointment, visa, and travel
Once you confirm, My 1Health books your appointment, obtains your medical visa invitation letter, plans your travel itinerary, arranges accommodation near the hospital, and organises airport transfers in Seoul.
5. On-ground support
A dedicated patient support specialist is available 24/7 throughout your stay. Language interpretation is coordinated through the hospital team.
If your stay extends or your care plan changes, we manage it.
6. Post-treatment follow-up
After you return home, My 1Health arranges for your post-operative records to be sent to your cardiologist at home.
Remote follow-up consultations with the Seoul team can be arranged where available.
One consistent observation from our cardiac coordination experience in South Korea: patients who submit complete records early, allow 3 to four weeks for visa processing, and plan to arrive two to 3 days before surgery for pre-operative assessments have the smoothest overall experience.
We walk every patient through this from the first conversation.
