CareBridge Korea: A Multilingual Healthcare Access App Concept for International Students in South Korea

Abstract

International students in South Korea often face real difficulty with something as basic as visiting a doctor. Language barriers, unfamiliar hospital systems, and a lack of centralized information make healthcare access confusing and stressful for students already adjusting to life in a new country. CareBridge Korea began as an attempt to look at this problem more closely and think through what a workable solution might look like. We surveyed international students across different universities to understand their actual experiences, what confuses them most, what they wish existed, and where the biggest gaps in the system are. Based on these responses, we outline a concept for a multilingual healthcare app that would help students locate nearby clinics, understand basic medical terms in their own language, and navigate appointments with less confusion. This paper is not a finished product. It is a research-backed concept meant to start a conversation around student wellbeing and healthcare equity for the growing international student population in Korea. We hope it serves as a useful starting point for future development, whether by us or by others working in this space.