LASEK cost in Korea
In Korean: 라섹 (rasek)
LASEK has a median price of ₩1,840,000 at Korean hospitals (about US$1,388). That is the middle of the prices reported by 32 hospitals, 11 of them in Seoul, to HIRA, the government’s Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, as of 23 October 2026.
Median
₩1,840,000
US$1,388
Average
₩1,959,942
US$1,478
Lowest
₩800,000
US$603
Highest
₩4,500,000
US$3,394
Median: half of hospitals charge less, half more. Lowest and highest are single hospitals and can include unusual cases.
LASEK by kind of hospital
| Kind of hospital | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tertiary (university) hospitals상급종합 | ₩2,250,000 | ₩2,150,043 | ₩1,360,200 – ₩2,440,000 | 10 |
| General hospitals종합병원 | ₩1,929,000 | ₩1,880,986 | ₩800,000 – ₩2,750,000 | 3 |
| Hospitals병원 | ₩1,740,000 | ₩1,937,391 | ₩900,000 – ₩4,500,000 | 19 |
University (tertiary) hospitals are the large teaching hospitals such as those of Seoul National, Yonsei and Korea universities. Small clinics (의원) are not in this data — see how to check a clinic’s price.
LASEK by region
| Region | Median | Average | Range | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul서울 | ₩2,058,000 | ₩1,978,615 | ₩990,000 – ₩2,800,000 | 11 |
| Gyeonggi경기 | ₩1,700,000 | ₩1,675,000 | ₩1,400,000 – ₩1,900,000 | 3 |
| Incheon인천 | ₩1,405,100 | ₩1,405,100 | ₩1,360,200 – ₩1,450,000 | 2 |
| Busan부산 | ₩2,490,000 | ₩2,493,333 | ₩1,000,000 – ₩4,500,000 | 3 |
| Daegu대구 | ₩900,000 | ₩900,000 | ₩900,000 – ₩900,000 | 1 |
| Daejeon대전 | ₩1,650,000 | ₩1,664,286 | ₩1,250,000 – ₩2,300,000 | 2 |
| Ulsan울산 | ₩1,715,000 | ₩1,864,000 | ₩1,290,000 – ₩3,000,000 | 2 |
| Chungnam충남 | ₩1,832,900 | ₩1,832,900 | ₩1,665,800 – ₩2,000,000 | 2 |
| Jeonbuk전북 | ₩1,200,000 | ₩1,200,000 | ₩1,200,000 – ₩1,200,000 | 1 |
| Jeonnam-Gwangju전남광주 | ₩1,800,000 | ₩1,938,182 | ₩1,400,000 – ₩3,000,000 | 3 |
| Gyeongnam경남 | ₩2,354,400 | ₩2,354,400 | ₩2,354,400 – ₩2,354,400 | 1 |
| Jeju제주 | ₩2,000,000 | ₩1,842,857 | ₩800,000 – ₩2,750,000 | 1 |
Regions with no reporting hospital are left out. Jeonnam-Gwangju is the merged Gwangju–South Jeolla region (since 1 July 2026).
What it is
LASEK (surface laser vision correction) removes the thin outer layer of the cornea and reshapes the surface with a laser, with no flap. Recovery takes longer than LASIK — usually several days of discomfort and a few weeks for vision to settle — but it suits people with thin corneas or contact-sport lifestyles.
What the price includes
The reported figure is the hospital’s fee for the procedure. Pre-operative eye tests, protective contact lenses and follow-up eye drops may be billed separately; HIRA does not say whether the price is for one eye or both.
Health insurance
Like LASIK, LASEK is non-covered: National Health Insurance does not contribute, whatever your nationality.
Ask at the hospital
라섹 가격이 얼마예요?
How much does it cost? — rasek gagyeogi eolmayeyo?
Questions
Is LASEK cheaper than LASIK in Korea?
At hospitals reporting to HIRA, yes — compare the median prices on this page and the LASIK page. LASEK needs no flap-cutting step, which is one reason it often costs less.
How long should I stay in Korea after LASEK?
Plan for at least a week: the surface needs several days to heal and most hospitals want to see you again before you fly. Ask the hospital for its own follow-up schedule.
About these numbers
- Source: HIRA non-covered medical fees open data (건강보험심사평가원 비급여진료비정보), item 2Z9620001, updated 23 October 2026.
- Covers hospitals (병원급: university, general, dental, Korean medicine and other hospitals). Small clinics (의원) report to HIRA too but are not in the open data; their prices can be lower or higher.
- Median, average, lowest and highest are HIRA’s own figures. Hospital counts are the number of hospitals listed for each item.
- US$ amounts are rough conversions at ₩1,326 = US$1 (22 Oct 2026). Your card or exchange rate will differ.
- Prices are what hospitals report, not quotes. Always ask the hospital for a written estimate.