韓媒:4月起外國遊客在韓國整容可享受退稅服務

Foreigners who receive plastic surgery and aesthetic treatment in South Korea will receive a value added tax refund starting next month, the health ministry said Wednesday.

韓國保健部門週三表示，自下月起，在韓國接受整形手術和美容服務的外國遊客可獲得增值稅退稅。

The tax rebate will be given at special booths installed in the country's international airports when foreign patients submit a certificate issued by authorized medical institutions or dermatology clinics, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

根據韓國保健福祉部表示，此類外國遊客提交認證醫療機構或皮膚科診所發放的診療確認書，可在韓國各國際機場的專設櫃臺辦理退稅。

Cosmetic operations and aesthetic services including liposuction, nasal surgery and eyelid surgery undertaken between April 1 this year and March 31, 2017 are subject to the tax refund, the ministry added.

該部門還補充說明，在今年4月1日至2017年3月31日期間接受抽脂、鼻部整形、眼瞼手術等整容和美容服務均可退稅。

The tax program is aimed at boosting South Korea's medical tourism sector in a bid to meet growing overseas demand and help the country emerge as a new hub of global medical tourism.

該稅收計劃旨在促進韓國的醫療旅遊行業，試圖滿足日益增長的海外需求，並幫助韓國成爲全球醫療旅遊的新樞紐。

According to data, some 155,000 foreigners visited Seoul in 2014 for medical purposes, mostly from China, the U.S., Russia and Japan.

根據數據顯示，在2014年有15萬5千名外國遊客處於醫療目的前往首爾，其中大部分人是來自中國，美國，俄羅斯以及日本。