Korea has local cardiac surgery capacity. A Japan referral is most defensible for complex-case review, a high-volume team opinion, or a coordinated Korea–Japan perioperative pathway.
Verified institutional information
JASMINE states more than 3,500 mitral valve repairs as of February 2026 and publishes an eight-step overseas pathway. KASMINE states cooperation with JASMINE and more than 900 cardiac operations in Korea.
Important limits
JASMINE says it does not accept patients with a history of Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia or Lyme disease. Hospital acceptance is separate from Japanese animal-quarantine clearance. Institutional case counts do not guarantee an individual outcome.