NAEUN HOSPITAL
NAEUN HOSPITAL
Republic of Korea, Incheon
Yu Yeonghun
15 years of experience • 106044+ treatments performed
Clinic is certified :
Cholelithiasis treatment cost in South Korea typically includes essential diagnostics like a gastroscopy from AUD $278 to AUD $417 and surgical intervention. Prices for the procedure generally run 40–60% lower than in Australia and the United States. Total expenses depend on the surgical technique, hospital tier, and ward type. Most international patients travel to major medical hubs in Seoul and Incheon for treatment.
Typical Cholelithiasis Treatment Costs in South Korea
Bookimed Expert Insight: Patients seeking high-precision surgery should consider digitalised centres. Seoul National University Bundang Hospital uses the BESTcare digital system to coordinate complex abdominal cases. For those prioritising recovery, Ewha Womans University Medical Center focuses on minimally invasive surgery through small incisions to improve aesthetic outcomes. High-volume centres like Asan Medical Center manage over 65,000 operations annually, ensuring surgeons maintain peak technical proficiency.
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Dr. Yu Yeonghun is a gastrointestinal surgeon with a Ph.D. in Medicine. He specializes in hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) diseases and cancers. His focus includes liver, pancreas, biliary tract, and gallbladder cancers, as well as cholelithiasis and other gallbladder diseases.
He completed his internship and general surgery residency at CHA Bundang Medical Center. He then finished an HPB surgery fellowship at Samsung Medical Center. He has served as Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Konkuk University Choongju Hospital and at Samsung Medical Center. He later became Professor of Surgery at Eulji University Hospital.
He is a Lifetime Member of The Korean Surgical Society and the Korean Association of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (KAHBPS). He serves on the KAHBPS Planning Committee and Tumor Registry Committee.
Dr. Cheon Wonseok is Head of Gastroenterology at Na-Eun Hospital. He treats gastrointestinal disorders. He performs upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, polypectomy, and ESD. He manages gastric and esophageal cancer and Helicobacter pylori infection. He also treats liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. He offers small-bowel capsule endoscopy.
Accreditations: Board-certified specialist in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Lifetime member, Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Full member, Korean Association of Internal Medicine.
Training: Kyung Hee University College of Medicine. Internship, Kyung Hee University Medical Center. Residency in internal medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. Clinical fellowship in gastroenterology, Chung-Ang University Hospital.
Dr. Kim Taegyun is a gastroenterologist. He focuses on pancreatobiliary diseases and cancers, including pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts and cancer, cholecystitis, gallstones (cholelithiasis), and biliary tract cancer. He also performs advanced endoscopy, including ERCP. He treats gastrointestinal tumors, stomach and colon polyps, stomach cancer, and submucosal tumors (SMT).
Education and training: MD, Jeonbuk National University College of Medicine. MS in Medicine, University of Ulsan. Internship, Jeonbuk National University Hospital. Residency in Internal Medicine, Veterans Health Service Medical Center. Fellowships in Gastroenterology, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital and Asan Medical Center.
Career: Attending physician and specialist at Gwangju Veterans Hospital and the Veterans Health Service Medical Center.
Dr. Pak Seongjin is a gastroenterologist. He focuses on endoscopy and advanced procedures such as gastroscopy, colonoscopy, polypectomy, and ESD. He also treats digestive and liver diseases, including cirrhosis, pancreatitis, hepatitis, and Helicobacter pylori infection.
He earned his M.D. and M.S. in Internal Medicine from Chung-Ang University. He completed his internal medicine residency and a gastroenterology fellowship at Chung-Ang University Hospital.
He is a clinical professor at Gachon University College of Medicine and Inha University College of Medicine. He is a full member of the Korean Association of Internal Medicine, the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the Korean Gastroenterology Association, and the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association.
Korean gallstones historically consisted of pigment and bile duct stones. This is unlike the cholesterol-based stones frequent in Western countries. Westernisation of diet is narrowing this gap. However, South Korean specialists still frequently manage complex intrahepatic duct stones within the liver. Leading centres like Seoul National University Hospital specialise in these distinct cases.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Clinical expertise in Korea is deep due to the historical complexity of bile duct stones. At Naeun Hospital, surgeons have performed over 106,000 procedures. This high volume lets Korean specialists master techniques like Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). ERCP is essential for clearing the bile duct stones still common in the region.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that rich or fried Korean street foods often trigger symptoms. They suggest planning low-fat meals. They also recommend seeking medical advice before travel if stones are already known. Travel stress can worsen flare-ups.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones in South Korea. Surgeons perform this minimally invasive procedure through small incisions, achieving 98% success rates. Leading Seoul centres also offer robotic-assisted surgery and ERCP to clear complex bile duct stones.
Bookimed Expert Insight: South Korean surgical volume for digestive procedures is exceptionally high, which directly impacts safety. Specialists like Dr Yu Yeonghun at NAEUN HOSPITAL have performed over 106,000 procedures. This vast experience allows Korean surgeons to manage difficult gallbladder anatomy. Cases that might require open surgery elsewhere can often be treated with much safer laparoscopic techniques.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that gallbladder removal is often handled as a same-day procedure in Seoul. They recommend arranging Australian GP follow-up and sticking to a low-fat diet for a few weeks after returning home.
Removal is usually unnecessary if patients have silent stones and no pain. Doctors generally recommend a watch and wait approach. Surgery is only vital if high-risk factors like porcelain gallbladder or large polyps appear. Specialists in South Korea use ERCP and laparoscopy to manage complex cases.
Bookimed Expert Insight: South Korea leads in biliary innovation. Seoul National University Bundang Hospital performed the world's first extended cholecystectomy. This matters because patients with complex anatomical features benefit from techniques first refined here. For straightforward cases, NAEUN Hospital serves 500,000 patients annually. This massive volume translates to refined surgical safety across routine procedures.
Patient Consensus: Patients in South Korea note that bloating or indigestion may count as symptoms. They often prefer elective surgery to avoid potential emergencies. Most report a quick recovery after laparoscopic removal in Seoul.
Patients live healthy lives without a gallbladder because the liver continues producing bile. This fluid flows directly into the small intestine instead of being stored. Most people return to a normal diet within 3–6 months of removal in South Korea.
Bookimed Expert Insight: South Korea leads in surgical innovation and performed the world's first extended cholecystectomy. Major centres like Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital handle massive volumes. Severance alone performs 40,000 operations each year, so surgeons are experts at managing anatomical variations. Australian patients benefit from this precision. Experienced Korean specialists use laparoscopic techniques for 90% of gastric and biliary cases, which means smaller scars and faster healing.
Patient Consensus: Patients report that quality of life improves significantly once gallstone pain is gone. Many eat normally days after surgery, though some suggest starting with bland soups before having fried rice or chicken again.
Small cholesterol-based gallstones can be treated without surgery in South Korea. Options include oral dissolution therapy or sound wave lithotripsy. Specialists use medications like ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) to dissolve stones over several months. These non-surgical methods remain secondary to laparoscopic gallbladder removal.
Bookimed Expert Insight: South Korean gastroenterologists often combine medical dissolution with advanced ERCP techniques to avoid invasive surgery. For example, Dr Kim Taegyun at NAEUN HOSPITAL specialises in ERCP for complex duct obstructions. This integrated approach lets patients preserve their gallbladder if stones meet specific size and cholesterol criteria.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that UDCA medication helps manage symptoms in South Korea. However, treating gallstones without surgery requires long-term commitment. They emphasise confirming if stones are cholesterol-based before starting therapy.
Patients typically resume daily activities within 1–2 weeks after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery in Korea. Most patients stay in hospital for 1–2 nights. Full recovery for strenuous exercise takes 4–6 weeks. Korean centres use minimally invasive robotic and laparoscopic techniques to speed up hospital discharge.
Bookimed Expert Insight: High-volume digital hospitals in Seoul, such as Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, utilise standardised protocols. These enable discharge by day 3 even in complex cases. Surgeons here often perform over 90% of abdominal procedures laparoscopically. This vast experience results in shorter anaesthesia times. It also speeds up bowel function recovery compared to lower-volume centres.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that walking by day four helps manage initial discomfort. However, low-fat dietary adjustments are necessary for several weeks. Walking and light movement are manageable quickly. But many find that energy levels and food tolerance take a full month to settle completely.