Korea Particle Therapy Facilities: Current Status and Planned Expansion
As of the latest publicly available facility information reviewed, Korea has three particle therapy centers in clinical operation: one carbon-ion therapy center and two proton therapy centers.
This means that both carbon-ion therapy and proton therapy are available in Korea, depending on the cancer type, disease status, prior treatment history, tumor location, and hospital review outcome.
Current operating centers include:
Center | Location | Therapy Type | Equipment | Clinical Start |
Yonsei Severance Hospital | Seoul | Carbon-ion therapy | 2 gantries, 1 fixed beam | 2023 |
Samsung Medical Center | Seoul | Proton therapy | 2 gantries | 2015 |
National Cancer Center | Ilsan | Proton therapy | 2 gantries, 1 fixed beam | 2007 |
Yonsei Severance Hospital currently provides carbon-ion therapy. Publicly reported treatment areas include prostate, liver, pancreatic, and lung cancers, with additional expansion areas under development or review.
Samsung Medical Center provides proton therapy and has accumulated clinical experience across multiple cancer areas, depending on its treatment scope and case review process.
National Cancer Center in Ilsan provides proton therapy and has long-standing clinical experience since 2007.
Korea’s particle therapy capacity is also expected to expand further.
Publicly reported or announced projects include:
Center / Project | Location | Therapy Type | Planned Start |
SNUH Gijang Center | Busan | Carbon-ion / helium-ion | Scheduled to open in late 2027 |
National Cancer Center Seoul | Seoul | Proton therapy | Timeline to be confirmed |
Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital | Daegu | Proton therapy | First patient treatment expected in Dec. 2029 |
Korea University Medical Center | Seoul | Proton therapy | Project announced; timeline to be confirmed |
Asan Medical Center | Seoul | Multi-ion therapy | Reported target around 2031 |
For international patients, the practical focus should be on centers already in clinical operation.
Planned facilities may expand Korea’s future treatment capacity, but opening dates, equipment details, and eligible cancer indications may change before full clinical operation begins.
The presence of a particle therapy facility does not mean that every patient can receive treatment.
Each hospital reviews the individual case before deciding whether further consultation or treatment may be appropriate.
Key review factors may include cancer type, disease stage, prior treatment history, prior radiation records, tumor location, nearby critical organs, imaging findings, and the patient’s general condition.
For patients and referring physicians, the important question is not only whether particle therapy exists in Korea, but which Korean center may be relevant for the specific case.
APIS helps identify relevant Korean hospitals and coordinates preliminary communication and document submission for selected international cases.
Final treatment decisions are determined solely by the treating hospitals and physicians.
