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Mongolian School Principals Visit Busan for the First Time—Combining Medical Tourism and Advanced Public Education Training

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) hosted a delegation of 26 school principals from national elementary, middle, and high schools in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from April 20 to 24, for a five-day training program combining medical tourism with advanced public education.

This visit marks the city’s first success in attracting educational tour groups linked to medical tourism, following promotional activities in Mongolia last year. In collaboration with the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education and the Busan Human Rights Center, the city designed a tailored training program to meet local education needs in Mongolia and enhance satisfaction among visiting delegates.

On April 21, a welcome ceremony was held with the participation of the Mongolian Consul in Busan, laying the groundwork for future collaboration. The consul expressed support for expanding friendly exchanges in education, student exchange camps, and medical technology cooperation between Busan and Mongolia.

During the visit, the Mongolian delegation toured:

• ●Busan Metropolitan Office of Education

• ●Busan AI & Software Education Hub Center

• ●Busan Software Meister High School

These visits provided a comprehensive understanding of Busan’s education policies and infrastructure. The group also attended a lecture at the Busan Human Rights Center on “Practical Approaches to Children’s Rights in Education,” which offered insight into ethical teaching and child rights awareness.

As part of the medical tourism experience, the principals visited Seomyeon Medical Street, receiving eye exams and engaging with Busan’s top-tier medical professionals and facilities. They also explored wellness tourism spots like SMB Wellness, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Busan X the Sky, and experienced yacht sailing and local food culture.

Due to recent geopolitical challenges affecting traditional medical tourism markets like Russia, Busan has pivoted its focus to Mongolia. As a result, the number of Mongolian medical tourists to Busan increased by 110% in 2024 compared to 2023. The city attributes this growth to continuous networking and business consultations between Busan’s foreign patient institutions and Mongolian travel agencies.

Earlier this year, Busan also welcomed delegations from Baganuur District Council, Mongolia’s Ministry of Emergency Management and Health, and family medicine doctors participating in a medical seminar.

With support from the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, the city has actively provided administrative and logistical support to facilitate visits by Mongolian delegations, including public health benchmarking tours and industry site inspections.

Kim Hyun-jae, Director-General of the Busan Tourism & MICE Bureau, stated,
“Next year (2026) marks the 10th anniversary of the friendship between Busan and Ulaanbaatar. We will continue to support the development of purpose-driven medical tourism packages that reflect Mongolian needs, fostering not only medical tourism but also broader, mutually beneficial exchanges across various sectors.”