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Seoul - It's not everyone's idea of a holiday, but some South Korean clinics are cashing in as Japanese use their Golden Week break for cosmetic surgery overseas.

 The long holiday gives patients a chance to let facial swellings shrink before they have to return to work, and prices in Seoul are said to be half those charged for similar treatments in Japan.

 Ana Clinic in southern Seoul told AFP it had appointments with about 40 Japanese during the Golden Week, compared to the weekly average of 20 from that country.

 Theme Dermatologist clinic has some 30 Japanese patients this week, five to six times higher than average, according to Segye Ilbo newspaper.

 Double-eyelid surgery and nose jobs are among the most popular treatments for foreign clients, and face-lifts and skin-whitening are also in demand.

 The Korea Tourism Organisation said it expected more than 76,000 Japanese to visit Korea this week.

Agence France Presse