Physicians Who Crossed the Pacific: The Scale and Causes of South Korean Physician Migration to the United States, 1965–1980

This study examines the scope and underlying causes of South Korean physician migration to the United States between 1965 and 1980. During this period, substantial numbers of Korean physicians immigrated to the U.S., with most remaining permanently. While previous accounts have relied primarily on memory and anecdotal evidence, this paper provides a quantitative analysis of this migration phenomenon using data from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and diverse domestic and international sources. The primary institutional catalyst for this migration was the 1965 revision of U.S. immigration law, combined with increased demand for medical professionals in America. Persistent domestic push factors—including low income levels and inadequate residency training conditions in Korea—further intensified the outflow. The Korean government’s failure to implement effective countermeasures accelerated this trend. Physician migration, however, declined significantly in the mid-1970s due to tightened U.S. immigration requirements and structural transformations in Korean healthcare. These changes included the introduction of national health insurance and expanded medical infrastructure through foreign medical loans, which created new domestic opportunities for Korean physicians and substantially reduced emigration incentives. This study concludes by connecting this historical phenomenon to contemporary issues. While the transnational brain drain has largely ended, it has evolved into a regional imbalance characterized by physician concentration in metropolitan areas. The study’s findings suggest that strengthening regional healthcare infrastructure may provide a viable solution to this persistent disparity.