As the housing market faces an aging society, medical infrastructure is becoming increasingly important, and medical tourism zones are being recognized for their high merit. These zones have concentrated medical infrastructure, allowing elderly residents within the area to conveniently and quickly access high-quality medical facilities.
According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of foreign patients visiting South Korea reached 146,000 in 2021, more than doubling compared to 62,01 patients in 2009, when the country first began attracting foreign patients.
Currently, the domestic medical special zones include ▲Gangseo Miracle Medi Zone (Gangseo-gu, Seoul) and ▲Yeongdeungpo Smart Medi Zone (Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul) in the metropolitan area, and ▲MediCity Daegu Global Medical Zone (Jung-gu and Suseong-gu, Daegu) and ▲Seo-gu Global High Medi Hub Zone (Seo-gu, Busan) in the provinces.
Meanwhile, the high-end senior residence ‘VL Le West’ being developed near the ‘Gangseo Miracle Medi Zone’ is attracting attention. Supplied by Lotte Construction, ‘VL Le West’ will be built with 4 buildings ranging from 6 basement floors to 15 above-ground floors, totaling 810 units, and will allow residents to enjoy the abundant medical infrastructure of the ‘Gangseo Miracle Medi Zone’.
The ‘Gangseo Miracle Medi Zone’ boasts excellent international accessibility with proximity to Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport, outstanding access to both the city center and airports, and a concentration of specialized hospitals within a 5-minute distance from the airport.
Additionally, it houses the second-largest number of hospital-level specialized medical facilities in Seoul, offering high-quality medical services specialized in spine and infertility treatments. Within the Magok district, the Ewha Seoul Hospital with 1,014 beds has opened, and other hospitals such as Mizmedi Hospital, Welton Hospital, and Seoul Star Hospital are under development.
Furthermore, traditional Korean medicine cultural facilities (Heojun Museum, Gyeomjae Jeongseon Art Museum), various tourist attractions (National Aviation Museum, Seoul Botanic Park), and tourism convenience facilities (Lotte Department Store, Mayfield Hotel) are also being developed in the area.
‘VL Le West’ also offers medical services within the complex tailored to the characteristics and convenience of senior residents. First, it supports the operation of a segmented and systematic health management center through a business agreement with Bobath Memorial Hospital. Personalized health checks, special management by disease, and real-time biometric signal monitoring will provide an emergency SOS alarm service capable of ‘proactive response’.
Through an agreement with Ewha Seoul Hospital, residents will have access to specialist consultations and health checkups, with a dedicated resident-only counter and discount benefits enabling swift medical care without long waiting times when using the hospital.
Applying the premium senior brand ‘VL’ operated and supported by Lotte Hotel, hotel-grade resident services will also be provided. Residents can enjoy ‘hotel-style concierge services’ such as reservation assistance, business support, and mail management; ‘housekeeping services’ offering various cleaning tasks within units (60 minutes twice a week); ‘hotel chef-managed meal plans’ based on hotel restaurant expertise; and a ‘one-stop service’ handling various inquiries and requests through a single window.
Senior-customized specialized designs will also be introduced. These include senior housing floor plans developed by Lotte Construction, ‘one-room one-bath’ layouts reflecting the independence of active seniors, sliding doors and no-step plans throughout all units considering physical safety, circular circulation layouts within units, and ‘bespoke balconies’ tailored to residents’ preferences.
The complex is located within a triple station area, with access to Magok Station on Subway Line 5, Magoknaru Station on Subway Line 9, and the Airport Railroad. An underground pedestrian passage directly connects the complex to the subway stations.
Currently, ‘VL Le West’ is operating a promotional center.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
