Kiwi women become advert for low-cost Korean surgery

Lynda Sim before (L) and after (R) her surgery. Photos / Supplied

South Korea is to use the story of how it "saved" two morbidly obese Kiwi women through weight-loss surgery in a campaign to get more medical tourist trade.

The Korea Tourism Organisation says it hopes the success of surgeries on Jasmin Sciascia and Lynda Sim will be a "first step" to get more people from New Zealand and Australia.

"The technology we have and the surgery techniques we use in Korea are some of the most advanced in the world," said Tony Jung, deputy director of the medical tourism department.

"Medical tourists from China and Japan come here because of that, but the Western market is an important one that we also want to attract."

Cost is another factor the organisation hopes will draw Westerners there - bariatric surgery costs between $17,000 to $35,000 in New Zealand but only about $8000 in Seoul.

The department is hoping to attract up to 10,000 medical tourists a year by 2013, and Mr Jung said the two New Zealand women were "living examples" of how language and culture were not barriers.

Ms Sim, 44, of Wellington and Ms Sciascia, 26, of Wanganui, lost more than 100kg between them after a South Korean offer of gastric-sleeve bariatric surgery in March.

The operation restricts the size of their stomachs.

Ms Sim, who weighed 161kg, and Ms Sciascia, who was 210kg, had both been denied publicly funded surgery here.

The Korean Tourism Organisation paid for the surgery, airfares, pre- and post-operative care and accommodation.

Ms Sim, who has lost nearly 40kg, told the Herald the surgery was "the best thing I've done in my life".

"The surgery has improved my quality of life, and I'd be happy to recommend it to anyone who is in the same boat."

- Lincoln Tan went to Seoul as a guest of the Korea Foundation.