The government is actively deepening healthcare collaboration with Middle Eastern countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as part of a strategic effort to boost joint innovation and capacity building.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Tuesday that Second Vice Minister Lee Hyung-hoon is visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar from Sunday to Wednesday to discuss expanding cooperation in healthcare.
On Sunday, Lee visited the Health Holding Company under Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry and LEAN, a digital innovation firm under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, to discuss progress in digital healthcare and potential cooperation aligned with the kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative.
He met Saudi trainees who had received medical training in Korea to gather feedback on applying their experience in Saudi clinics, improving training programs in Korea, and developing new courses.
At Monday’s bilateral meeting, Korea and Saudi Arabia agreed to strengthen cooperation by expanding training opportunities for Saudi medical professionals in Korea. They also agreed to sign a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) and to increase the practical exchange of medical expertise between the two countries.
To implement these plans, they will discuss revising the current training agreement to include nurses, pharmacists, and technicians; adjust training costs; provide online courses (MKA e-class); and hold joint seminars. They also agreed to collaborate on clinical trials and research involving advanced medical technologies.
During the meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Health, both sides agreed to revise the 2016 Health Cooperation MOU to include more concrete implementation measures. They identified priority areas for cooperation, including digital healthcare, biohealth and pharmaceuticals, hospital information systems, smart hospitals, robotic surgery, and health insurance.
The delegation also visited SEHA Virtual Hospital, run by the Saudi Health Ministry. The Ministry utilizes digital and AI technologies for disease management, image interpretation, and teleconsultations to improve healthcare quality and accessibility. AI solutions were proposed as new areas for Korea-Saudi collaboration.
Korea and Saudi Arabia maintain a forward-looking government partnership. Since 2012, Korea has exported its hospital information system to Saudi Arabia through intergovernmental cooperation to help build the country’s digital healthcare infrastructure.
Building on this foundation, Saudi Arabia is deepening its cooperation with Korean digital healthcare firms to advance the goals of Vision 2030.
Expanding these cooperative efforts to the broader region, on Tuesday, Vice Minister Lee held the first Joint Steering Committee meeting in Doha, Qatar, with Qatar’s Deputy Minister of Health, Ghanim Ali Al Mannai.
A memorandum of understanding was signed to expand Korean medical treatment for Qatari patients covered by state insurance, enhance training for Qatari medical professionals in Korea, open the Qatari market to Korean medical professionals, and support collaboration on advanced technologies.
As a result of the agreement, Korea will receive a greater number of state-funded Qatari patients in need of treatment, and both sides will pursue Patient Acceptance (PA) agreements with Korean medical providers to formalize this process.
The agreement establishes a paid training system for Qatari medical personnel in Korea and outlines plans to upgrade license recognition for Korean professionals in Qatar and simplify documentation procedures, making entry and practice in Qatar easier for Korean healthcare workers.
To support Korea’s participation in advanced digital healthcare initiatives in Qatar, both sides agreed to actively promote personnel exchanges, hospital partnerships, joint research, and investment—with specific projects to be developed by a dedicated working group.
The two countries will form a working group to develop detailed action plans with two-year milestones to implement the cooperation agreed upon at these meetings.
“With the growing popularity of Hallyu in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are key partners for K-healthcare’s expansion in the region,” Vice Minister Lee said. “Through these meetings, we’ve created important opportunities for Korea’s AI and digital healthcare technologies and medical professionals to enter the Middle East.”
Lee added that the government aims to further strengthen and expand healthcare cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the broader Middle East, building on these strategic frameworks.
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