St. Peter's Hospital Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic & Vascular Center succeeds in EVAR treatment of a high-risk abdominal aortic aneurysm patient

 Hospital News] March 24
 Doctors Times Approved 2026.03.24 16:00 Comments 0
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■Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital holds a ‘New Spring Concert’ to mark a piano donation


Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital (Director Jung Yong-hoon) announced on the 24th that on the 18th it held a ‘Spring Concert Marking the Piano Donation’ in the information lounge on the first floor of the hospital, bringing together patients, carers, visitors and staff.
 
The concert was planned to mark the donation of an electronic grand piano intended to create a cultural and artistic space within the hospital, and to offer those who come to the hospital a time of emotional comfort and healing. The piano was provided through a donation by Kim Bu-seop, Hospital Director of Hyundai Hospital, an educational partner of Chung-Ang University Medical Center, and the hospital is using the occasion to move beyond being simply a place of treatment toward becoming a ‘healing space’ where art is present.
 
The event was attended by Director Jung Yong-hoon, Cancer Hospital Director Kim Yi-su and Lee Sang-yeop, head of the medical administration office, among others, and staff performed alongside a professional ensemble. The concert opened with a performance by staff, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the main program. A varied program, including a string trio by the classical ensemble ‘Daoneum’, brought a warm spring atmosphere to those visiting the hospital.
 
Director Jung Yong-hoon said, “This concert has laid the foundation for the hospital to move beyond treatment and become a space where culture and art are present,” adding, “We will continue to expand a variety of cultural programs to improve the quality of life of our patients and visitors.”
 
Kim Yi-su, Director of the Cancer Hospital, said, “I have long hoped the hospital would become more than a place of treatment — a place where music flows,” adding, “It is deeply meaningful that we were able to create such a space thanks to Director Kim Bu-seop of Hyundai Hospital, who readily joined us in this purpose.”
 
One patient who attended the concert said, “Since starting chemotherapy I have not been able to enjoy any real cultural life for more than a year, but filling an hour with beautiful music gave me some peace of mind,” adding, “I am happy to be treated at a patient-centered hospital where melodies flow.”
 
Meanwhile, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital continues to expand its cultural and arts programs and social contribution activities on the basis of its ‘patient-centered’ values, strengthening its role as a medical institution that works together with the local community.

 

■KMI Korea Medical Institute holds launch ceremony for 4th Junior Board


KMI Korea Medical Institute (hereafter KMI) announced on the 24th that it has officially launched the fourth class of the ‘KMI Junior Board’, an in-house communication body made up of junior staff, and held an inaugural ceremony.

The KMI Junior Board is an internal council run to promote communication within the organization, improve its culture, surface ideas from the front line and develop talented staff.

The fourth Junior Board was selected from junior staff working at KMI's foundation headquarters and health screening centers nationwide, with 10 members taking part.

Over the coming year, the members selected will act as a channel of communication within the organization through activities to improve the organizational culture, gathering opinions from the front line, proposing and implementing ideas, and running regular meetings.

The fourth cohort in particular plans to run a range of programs — workshops, campaigns and council activities — aimed at expanding exchange between centers and spreading the values of the organizational culture.

Lee Kwang-bae, Chairman of KMI, said, “The Junior Board is an important channel for reflecting voices from the front line in management,” adding, “We will spare no support so that we can continue to strengthen an organizational culture built on trust and participation among our members.”

 

■St. Peter's Hospital Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic & Vascular Center succeeds in EVAR treatment of a high-risk abdominal aortic aneurysm patient


Park Kwan-tae, Surgical Director, Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic & Vascular Center
St. Peter's Hospital's Hepatobiliary-Pancreas & Vascular Center has proven university-hospital-level vascular care through a highly complex operation.

St. Peter's Hospital (President Yoon, Kangjun), a general hospital focused on spine, joint and cerebro-cardiovascular care, announced that Park Kwan-tae, Director of General Surgery at its Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic & Vascular Center, successfully treated a high-risk patient with a suspected infectious ‘saccular’ abdominal aortic aneurysm using ‘abdominal aortic aneurysm stent insertion (EVAR)’.

According to the Korean Society for Vascular Surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm is a vascular disease caused mainly by degenerative change; it can be life-threatening if it ruptures and is difficult to treat. Saccular abdominal aortic aneurysms in particular can grow larger over time with an increasing risk of rupture, so they demand even more precise treatment.

This patient's case in particular was high-risk: unlike a typical abdominal aortic aneurysm, an infectious aneurysm caused by bacteria was suspected, so the treatment strategy had to account for both the risk of rupture and the possibility of reinfection after treatment. Park Kwan-tae, general surgery specialist, analyzed the patient's overall condition and comorbidities from multiple angles and decided to perform abdominal aortic aneurysm stent insertion.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm stent insertion is a procedure in which a ‘stent-graft’, a type of artificial vessel, is inserted into the blood vessel to block blood flow into the aneurysm. This is effective in lowering the pressure on the aneurysm and reducing the risk of rupture.

In particular, because the stent is inserted through a catheter after a small local skin incision rather than open surgery, it can often be applied even to elderly patients or those with comorbidities. However, as it demands highly advanced, precise technique and expertise, it is regarded as one of the complex vascular treatments performed mainly at university hospitals and tertiary general hospitals.

The Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic & Vascular Center team led by Director Park Kwan-tae performed the operation carefully and precisely on the hospital's specialist infrastructure, completing it successfully in about an hour. The patient remained stable after the stent insertion, recovered smoothly and was discharged after a two-day stay; outpatient follow-up shows good recovery with no notable abnormal findings.

Led by Director Park Kwan-tae, a general surgery specialist with extensive clinical experience in general and abdominal surgery, St. Peter's Hospital is working to build up its Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic & Vascular Center. In particular, as a one-stop vascular center covering the full range of vascular disease, it is strengthening a specialized care system for treatments including complex aortic aneurysm repair, peripheral arterial disease surgery, stent insertion and balloon angioplasty, varicose vein surgery, and the creation and revision of arteriovenous fistulas and grafts (AVF/AVG) required for blood dialysis. On the strength of this achievement, the hospital plans to raise its specialist capabilities in vascular disease further still.

Director Park Kwan-tae of the Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic & Vascular Center at St. Peter's Hospital said, “In high-risk vascular treatment, what matters most is to draw on specialized expertise, monitor the patient’s condition closely to the end, and establish a safe treatment plan.” He added, “We will continue to strengthen our integrated treatment capabilities across the full range of vascular disease — from diagnosis to tailored treatment and follow-up care — and provide high-quality medical services that patients in the region can turn to with confidence.”


■Gachon University College of Medicine successfully concludes its ‘2026 College of Medicine Connected 100 Development Workshop’


The College of Medicine of Gachon University (President Lee Gil-ya) held the ‘2026 College of Medicine Connected 100 Development Workshop’ at Oak Valley Resort in Wonju from March 21 to 22.

The workshop was arranged for new faculty and alumni to share a vision for the coming centenary and strengthen their network, and participants discussed development strategies aimed at entering the ‘Global Top 100’ medical schools by 2032.

‘Connected 100’ signifies the combined centenary in 2028 of the 30th anniversary of the founding of Gachon University College of Medicine and the 70th anniversary of the opening of Gachon University Gil Hospital, together with the university's mid- to long-term goals and the 100 participants at the event.

About 100 people attended, including Senior Vice President Choi Mi-ri and Vice President for Medical Affairs Kim Woo-kyung and other senior officers, former deans, alumni, new faculty, Gil Hospital officials, and Park Hoon-ki, President of the Korean Society of Medical Education.

The workshop opened with a capability-building program for new faculty, followed by presentations on the medical school's development and future vision and group discussions to set development strategy.

In particular, the breakout groups will be converted into task force teams and, over the next two years, will work out concrete implementation plans in areas such as education, research, the hospital, alumni and commemorative projects. Special lectures by former Dean Lee Sung-nak and President Park Hoon-ki followed.

Meanwhile, Ryu Jeong-won, CEO of Healcerion and a graduate of Gachon University's graduate school of medicine, pledged 1 billion won to the medical school's development fund.

Jung Wook-jin, Dean of Gachon University College of Medicine, said, “This workshop will be the starting point for setting a new vision and strategy on the foundation of the past 100 years of achievement.”


■Gachon University Gil Medical Center holds the Incheon Regional Cancer Center's 19th Cancer Prevention Day ceremony


Gachon University Gil Medical Center (Director Kim Woo-kyung) held the 19th Cancer Prevention Day ceremony on the 23rd in Gachon Hall at its emergency medical center.

The ceremony, sponsored by Incheon Metropolitan City and hosted by the Incheon Regional Cancer Center, was attended by some 200 people. They included hospital staff such as Kim Woo-kyung, Director of Gachon University Gil Hospital; Lee Geum-suk, head of the nursing division; Lim Jung-soo, head of the public healthcare division; Baek Jeong-heum, Director of the Incheon Regional Cancer Center; and Choi Soo-jung, Director of the Incheon Regional Cancer Survivor Integrated Support Center, as well as Park Mi-ae, head of the health promotion division of Incheon Metropolitan City, the directors of the county and district public health centers, staff of the Incheon-Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters of the National Health Insurance Service, and university student cancer prevention supporters.

The event was held to mark Cancer Prevention Day (March 21), designated by the World Health Organization (WHO), in order to deepen understanding of cancer and reinforce commitment to healthy living, and to recognize those who have contributed to cancer prevention and control programs.

On this year’s Cancer Prevention Day, Professor Lee Ki-taek of neurosurgery received a Presidential Citation for his contribution to clinical care and research aimed at overcoming intractable brain tumors, and Kim Bok-sun, senior nurse of the Cancer Management Planning Team, received the Prime Minister’s Award. Awards were also presented to Ganghwa-gun Public Health Center, Yeonsu-gu Public Health Center and the Bupyeong Incheon Branch of the National Health Insurance Service, which were selected as outstanding cases at the evaluation meeting for the national cancer control program in the Incheon area. A plaque of appreciation was then presented to the 14th class of Cancer Prevention Supporters for 2025, followed by the inauguration ceremony for the 15th class of supporters.

Participants read out the National Cancer Prevention Guidelines together and staged a performance in which they overcame, one by one, the harmful factors that cause cancer, conveying a message of hope in overcoming the disease. 

Gachon University Gil Hospital was designated a regional cancer center in 2011, the first private university hospital to receive the designation, and has since carried out cancer control programs tailored to the Incheon area. The Incheon Regional Cancer Center was named the top institution nationwide for three consecutive years in the 2022-2024 evaluations, and it maintained a top-tier rating in the 2025 performance review, when integrated evaluation of cancer survivor services was introduced, contributing to cancer prevention programs for the citizens of Incheon.

Baek Jeong-heum, Director of the Incheon Regional Cancer Center, said, “Incheon is seeing results from cancer control programs tailored to the region, including the highest national cancer screening participation rate in the country last year, which can be called the first step in cancer prevention,” adding, “We plan to continue a range of prevention and research activities to strengthen the capabilities of the regional cancer center.”


■Treating disc herniation on both sides at once through a single portal···Shin Sang-ha, Director of Cheongdam Wooridul Hospital, publishes a paper in an international journal


Shin Sang-ha, Director of Cheongdam Wooridul Hospital
Shin Sang-ha, a neurosurgery specialist and Director at Chungdam Wooridul Hospital (chairman Lee Sang-ho), a spine specialty hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, has developed the latest endoscopic technique for effectively removing the whole of an extensively herniated disc through a single portal in bilateral disc herniation that causes radiating pain on both sides, and recently published a related clinical research paper in the international journal ‘JMISST (Journal of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Technique)’.

When a disc herniates on both sides, the nerves on both sides are compressed, producing severe radiating pain. Open discectomy, the conventional treatment, required bilateral laminectomy and resection of the inner facet surfaces in order to remove the bilateral disc herniation completely. Because a substantial amount of bone and joint had to be removed and the nerve running between them retracted, there was a risk of complications.

By contrast, single-portal transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) is a state-of-the-art treatment that uses a technique lowering the approach angle and enters from the side with the annular tear rather than the more painful side, minimizing iatrogenic damage and preserving as much normal tissue as possible.

Titled ‘Transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy in patients with bilateral disc herniation (Technique and Outcomes of Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy for Bilateral Disc Herniation)’, the paper followed 34 patients (mean age 41.6 years) who had undergone transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy for bilateral disc herniation and analyzed the treatment outcomes.

As a result, the average operating time was 58 minutes and the average hospital stay 1.2 days, showing rapid recovery, and no serious sequelae such as complications, infection or motor impairment occurred at all. Both post-operative pain and functional disability were also shown to have improved effectively. On the pain score VAS (Visual Analogue Scale), back pain improved from 5.8 before surgery to 1.8 at six months after surgery and leg pain from 7.2 to 1.5 at six months, while the disability score ODI (Oswestry Disability Index) improved from 58.2 before surgery to 14.5 at six months.

Shin Sang-ha, Director of Cheongdam Wooridul Hospital, said, “Even when the disc has herniated on both sides, if an endoscope is used to find a safe approach route, every fragment of the herniated disc can be removed through a single portal while preserving bone and joint as far as possible and without disturbing the nerves. For the patient, treatment through a single portal means less surgical burden, faster recovery and a lower risk of nerve injury, so satisfaction is high; but because it is a highly demanding technique, the operator’s extensive experience and expertise are important.” He added, “Wooridul Hospital will carry out clinical research on a wider range of patient groups and analyze treatment outcomes, and will continue to work on developing and advancing minimally invasive treatments that keep incisions to a minimum.”


■Ulsan Elijah Hospital signs an agreement with ‘Dalcheon IPARK Phase 2 Apartments’


Ulsan Elijah Hospital (Director Jung Young-hwan) announced that at 4:30 p.m. on the 23rd, in the conference room on the second floor of the hospital, it signed an agreement on ‘resident health promotion and medical service support’ with the residents' representative council (Chairman Jung Jung-sik) of Dalcheon I'Park Apartments Phase 2 in Buk-gu, Ulsan.
 
The agreement was arranged to improve medical welfare for residents of Dalcheon IPARK Phase 2 Apartments and to promote their health through distinctive medical services.

The two organizations pledged a range of cooperative programs, including medical service support for residents, health lectures for residents, cooperation on health screening and vaccination, and prompt referral to care in emergencies.
 
Jung Jung-sik, Chairman of the residents' representative council of Dalcheon I'Park Apartments Phase 2, said, “I am grateful that we have signed a meaningful agreement with a general hospital that represents our region, one that can bring real benefits to residents' welfare and health,” adding, “I hope we can continue to build a relationship that contributes to mutual development through ongoing communication and cooperation in many areas.”
 
Lim Mi-young, Administrative Director of Ulsan Elijah Hospital, said, “With this agreement we will strengthen our cooperation so that residents of apartments in the area can receive quality medical services closer to home,” adding, “We will do our best to fulfill our role as a lifelong guardian of the health of the residents of Dalcheon I'Park Apartments Phase 2.”
 
Meanwhile, Ulsan Elijah Hospital, which marks the 30th anniversary of its opening this year, will strengthen its operating rooms and emergency room through an extension project and provide specialized, center-based medical services through its Joint & Spine Center, Hypertension & Diabetes Center, Artificial Kidney Center, Burn Center, Rehabilitation Therapy Center, Manual Therapy Center, Pediatrics & Adolescent Center and Comprehensive Health Screening Center.


■Yeongdo Hospital and the Yeongseon 1-dong Community Service Center sign an MOU to improve local residents' health


Busan Yeongdo Hospital (Director Jung Do-hyun) announced that on March 19 it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Yeongseon 1-dong Community Service Center in Yeongdo-gu to promote the health and improve the medical welfare of local residents.

The agreement was arranged so that, as a regional hub medical institution, the hospital can support vulnerable groups in underserved areas of care and provide practical medical benefits to volunteers who have contributed to the development of the local community.

Under the agreement, Yeongdo Hospital plans to run a broad medical support programme for residents and business owners of Yeongdo-gu, aimed at volunteers who have devoted themselves to improving welfare in Yeongseon 1-dong as well as at medically underserved groups. Its main elements include △convenient appointment booking △preferential rates for comprehensive health screening △reduced costs for non-covered items in outpatient and inpatient care. The scope also extends to △medical service support in conjunction with partner institution Jeong Nursing Hospital △easing the burden of using the funeral hall, which is expected to contribute to building a health safety net for residents.

Jung Do-hyun, Director of Yeongdo Hospital, said, “It is meaningful that this agreement allows us to provide more practical medical services to local residents,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen cooperation with the community and work to improve medical welfare in ways residents can feel.”

He went on to say, “From April we will bring in a hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery specialist and fully operate a four-specialist system in general surgery,” adding that he aims to “fulfill our role as a regional hub hospital on the strength of this reinforced specialist staff and provide even higher-quality care.”


■Bumin Prestige Life Care Center wins over global buyers at Medical Korea


Bumin Prestige Life Care Center (Director Lim Min-ho) announced that it took part in ‘Medical Korea 2026’, held at COEX in Seoul from March 19 to 22, running a promotional booth and achieving results in global cooperation at the same time.
 
Hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and organized by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, the event is Korea's flagship medical tourism platform, promoting the competitiveness of Korean medical institutions and encouraging the attraction of more international patients.
 
Bumin Prestige Life Care Center showcased differentiated services centered on premium comprehensive health screening, a private screening system, and precise diagnosis based on state-of-the-art medical equipment.

Its ‘one-stop private screening system’, which carries out most examinations other than MRI and CT in separate private spaces, and its integrated medical model linking screening with follow-up wellness care drew particular interest at the event.
 
At its wellness center, premium care services such as anti-aging, immune strengthening and recovery from fatigue are provided through hyperbaric oxygen therapy, stem cell-based programs and customized nutritional IV therapy. The integrated structure running from 'screening → results analysis → wellness care' is regarded as a competitive model in the global medical tourism market and led to cooperation inquiries from overseas officials.
 
Lim Min-ho, Director of Bumin Prestige Life Care Center, said, “Through this participation we have both raised brand awareness and strengthened our position in the premium screening market,” adding, “In particular, on the basis of the MOUs signed with the United States, Russia and other countries, we will further solidify our competitiveness in the global healthcare market.”

 

■Yang Hae-kwon, CEO of EP Korea, donates 130 million won to Korea University Ansan Hospital


Yang Hae-kwon, CEO of EP Korea Co., Ltd., donated 130 million won in development funds to Korea University Ansan Hospital (Director Suh Dong-hoon) on the 24th, joining in giving for the advancement of regional healthcare.
 
The donation grew out of his connection with the hospital. Yang said that in 2022 he underwent surgery by Professor Choi Jong-il of the Department of Neurosurgery at Korea University Ansan Hospital after a cerebral hemorrhage and recovered his health, and that he decided to donate as a token of gratitude and to contribute to the advancement of regional healthcare.
 
Yang is known as a businessman with a strong commitment to giving back to society. In 2019 he joined the ‘Honor Society’, the major-donor club of the Community Chest of Korea, and has continued a variety of donation activities for the local community, older people and students. EP Korea Co., Ltd. has also taken the lead in corporate social contribution, making major donations and joining the Community Chest of Korea's ‘Honorable Sharing Company’ program as its 73rd member in Gyeonggi.
 
Behind this act of sharing lie experiences from his childhood and the early days of his business. CEO Yang said that when his family fell on hard times during his middle school years, after his father’s business failed and a bus accident occurred, his teacher and classmates raised money and came all the way to his home to help — and that this became the occasion for his conviction that he would live by giving back to society the help he had received. He also said that his resolve to share grew firmer through an experience during the IMF crisis, when, amid business difficulties, his factory landlord waited two years and three months without collecting rent.
 
Yang Hae-kwon said, “I wanted to express my gratitude to the hospital that saved my life,” adding, “I will continue to share with society the results of my business activities and to keep on giving.”
 
Director Suh Dong-hoon said, “We are deeply grateful for Mr. Yang Hae-kwon's meaningful donation,” adding, “We will use the development funds we have received carefully, to create a patient-centered medical environment and raise the quality of our medical services.”
 
Meanwhile, Yang founded his business in 1993 and now runs EP Korea Co., Ltd., a company specializing in total surface-treatment solutions for IT components and mobile phone parts. He has also received a commendation from the Governor of Gyeonggi Province for contributions to exports in 2013, an award for an industry-academia-research cooperation technology development project in 2016, the Commissioner of the National Tax Service's award for faithful taxpayers in 2017, and a commendation from the Mayor of Ansan as an outstanding local company in 2023.

He also took office in December 2025 as chairman of the Banwol Surface Treatment Business Cooperative, working to develop local industry and strengthen cooperation among member companies.


■ Yonsei University's Quantum Initiative sets out to conquer intractable diseases with ‘quantum-centric supercomputing’


Yonsei University (President Yoon Dong-sup) announced on the 23rd that, together with Japan's RIKEN and IBM, it has launched a large-scale computing project by connecting the supercomputer ‘Fugaku’ with Yonsei's ‘IBM Quantum System One’.

At the heart of the project is unraveling the secrets of biological phenomena that conventional computers could not reach.

Elucidating the mechanism of ‘Leigh syndrome’, in which a newborn's mitochondria fail to produce energy and death follows within a year, is regarded as one of the great challenges facing medicine.

Identifying the underlying cause of the syndrome requires an enormous computation — the diagonalization of a one-billion by one-billion matrix — and even if El Capitan, the world's fastest supercomputer, capable of a quintillion operations per second, devoted its entire system to that calculation alone, it is estimated that it would take about 30 years.

RIKEN's Fugaku is also a leading large-scale supercomputer capable of vast computation, yet its official performance figures rate it below El Capitan, so it would need still more time to handle the task.

The Yonsei-IBM research teams therefore plan to carry out joint research using a quantum-centric supercomputing architecture based on Fugaku and IBM Quantum System One, in order to explore the biological mechanisms of Leigh syndrome more deeply and more quickly.

The project is also significant in that it goes beyond simple cooperation to achieve a physical and technical connection between the massive computing resources that underpin mega-science research.

In June 2025 RIKEN succeeded in connecting IBM Quantum System Two with Fugaku. In November of the same year Yonsei University signed an MOU with RIKEN on joint research into quantum algorithms in the bio field, and has now formed a multinational, transdisciplinary research team together with IBM.

This mega-project carries great significance in that research infrastructure essential to conquering the great challenges of life science and medicine — beginning with mechanistic research on Leigh syndrome and extending to abnormal mitochondrial electron transport in intractable cancers and disorders of bioenergetic metabolism in aging — has been built across national boundaries.

Last weekend the connection between RIKEN's Fugaku and IBM Quantum System One and the sampling computation environment were completed. This is a practical step that goes beyond mere numerical computation toward understanding and solving humanity's intractable diseases ‘from first principles’ in the field of bio-healthcare.

The construction of this quantum-centric supercomputing system will serve as the base infrastructure for the ‘Quantum-AI Algorithm Center’ being pursued by Yonsei University's Quantum Initiative, and there are plans to expand it further into a ‘national quantum cluster’ together with Incheon Metropolitan City.

Bringing together the expertise of researchers from Yonsei University, RIKEN and IBM, the world's foremost quantum computing company, the project is expected to be a decisive opportunity for Korea to take the lead in the global quantum ecosystem.

Jung Jae-ho, head of the Quantum Initiative, who led this large-scale life science computing project, said, “Limits on computing power have unconsciously constrained the boundaries of humanity's scientific inquiry,” adding, “By connecting a quantum computer with a high-performance supercomputer, we have created an opportunity to resolve humanity's most difficult problems.”


■ Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital reaches 5000 deliveries


Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea (Director Bae Si-hyun) announced on the 24th that it has reached 5,000 deliveries.

Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital has seen deliveries rise steadily, starting with 252 cases in 2019, its first year of operation, followed by 408 in 2020, 590 in 2021, 770 in 2022, 816 in 2023, 957 in 2024 and 973 in 2025.

The upward trend continued into 2026, reaching a cumulative total of 5,000 deliveries. It is particularly significant that the hospital maintained its delivery and neonatal services without interruption despite the conflict between the medical community and the government and the ultra-low birth rate.

Centered on its intensive care center for high-risk mothers and newborns, the hospital operates a dedicated team of obstetricians, neonatologists and specialist nurses to provide care tailored to each patient.

It has also built a multidisciplinary consultation system involving obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine, ophthalmology, psychiatry and other departments so that it can respond quickly in emergencies, and it stably operates a maternal-fetal intensive care unit (MFICU) and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), strengthening its capacity for high-risk deliveries and neonatal care.

The hospital also continues a range of public healthcare activities to improve maternal and child health in the community. Since July last year it has taken part in the ‘maternal and child care cooperation pilot project’, caring for high-risk mothers and newborns in the region, and it has built a cooperative system that shares bed information with other medical institutions in real time. It has also run health lectures for expectant mothers, fulfilling its responsibilities as a community medical institution.

Bae Si-hyun, Director of Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital, said, “That we have been able to share the joy of a new life being born 5,000 times, even amid the national crisis of ultra-low birth rates and difficult conditions in healthcare, is thanks to the mothers who trusted us and came to our hospital and to the medical staff who devoted themselves day and night,” adding, “Based on respect for life, the core value of Catholic medical institutions, we will continue to build an environment in which high-risk mothers and newborns can receive treatment with peace of mind.”


■ International St. Mary's Hospital signs a global medical cooperation MOU with Saint Louis University in the Philippines


Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital (Fr. Ko Dong-hyun, Medical Center Director and Hospital Director) announced on the 24th that it recently signed a memorandum of understanding on global medical cooperation with Saint Louis University (President Fr. Sales), a prestigious private university in the Philippines.

The signing ceremony was attended by key figures including Fr. Ko Dong-hyun, Director of International St. Mary's Hospital; Fr. Park Jong-hoon, Deputy Director for Administration; Kim Myung-gon, Medical Director; Fr. Sales, President of Saint Louis University; and Quitiquit, its Medical Center Director.

Through the agreement, the two institutions agreed to build a comprehensive framework for cooperation covering academic medical exchange and joint research, medical staff exchange programs, cooperation in medical education and curriculum sharing, and jointly held clinical training and academic seminars.

Through it, the two sides plan to jointly build the capabilities of their medical workforces and raise standards of care.

President Sales said, “It is a great honor to enter into a partnership with International St. Mary's Hospital, which has world-class medical capabilities,” adding, “We will build further trust through close communication and cooperation.”

Fr. Ko Dong-hyun, Director of International St. Mary's Hospital, said, “I hope this agreement will make the two institutions strong partners leading the advancement of medicine in Asia,” adding, “We will spare no support so that talented people from the Philippines can experience advanced medical practice.”

 

■ Professor Lee Hyung-woo of Konkuk University Medical Center selected for the National Research Foundation's Individual Basic Research Program, early-career track


Lee Hyung-woo, professor of ophthalmology at Konkuk University Medical Center, has been selected for the National Research Foundation (NRF) Individual Basic Research Program (Ministry of Science and ICT R&D), Excellent Research – Early-Career Research (Type B).

Under the proposal, the project runs for three years on a scale of 150 million won per year. Professor Lee Hyung-woo will conduct research on a contrast-sensitivity-centered vision restoration strategy using optogenetic dual targeting of bipolar cells and amacrine cells in retinal degenerative disease.

The early-career category of the Ministry of Science and ICT's individual research program was established to expand the research base of early-career researchers and support creative research that fosters excellence, thereby cultivating outstanding researchers and building future capabilities in science and technology.

This study aims to develop a vision restoration method that goes beyond simple light detection to improve contrast sensitivity, using an optogenetic strategy that simultaneously targets ON-bipolar cells and AII amacrine cells, the key cells of the inner retinal circuit, in a mouse model of retinal degeneration.

Contrast sensitivity is the ability to distinguish subtle differences in brightness between an object and its background. It is a key indicator of functional vision closely linked to everyday life, such as recognizing the edges of objects and perceiving objects in motion.

The team will build a platform combining behavior-based visual assessment with retinal electrophysiology, compare single-cell and dual-cell target groups, and identify the optimal combination. It also plans to fine-tune photostimulation conditions to derive the most effective strategy for improving contrast sensitivity.

Professor Lee Hyung-woo said, “We will do our best to present a new direction in optogenetic treatment that improves contrast sensitivity so that objects can be distinguished better even in low-contrast environments,” adding, “Through this we hope to help patients who have lost their sight to macular degeneration or inherited retinal disease live even slightly better lives.”

 

■ Twenty years of the National Cancer Center's hospital school: learning that carries treatment forward


The hospital school of the National Cancer Center (Director Yang Han-kwang) recently marked its 20th anniversary with a ceremony on the 23rd in the large lecture hall on the 8th floor of the National Cancer Prevention and Screening Building.

The National Cancer Center's hospital school is an accredited attendance institution that helps pediatric and adolescent cancer patients move up to the next grade without repeating a year. Since opening in 2006 it has continuously run tailored curricula that include not only regular coursework but also creative experiential activities and programs supporting the return to school.

The event was arranged to encourage the young patients who have continued their studies while undergoing treatment, and to honor the efforts of the medical staff and education officials who have devoted themselves to helping the children return to society. Held under the theme ‘20 Years Walked Together, A Tomorrow We Will Build Together’, the event was designed as a celebration showing children currently in treatment what the future holds after recovery. In the lobby of the venue, a video tracing the past 20 years and messages of hope from students of Pungsan Elementary School were also displayed.

A hospital school graduate who delivered a message of encouragement at the event drew loud applause, saying, “Even while I was ill, the hospital school helped me get my daily life back and smile again,” and adding, “I hope the children fighting illness now will remember that they are not alone, and that their time at the hospital school will be a great strength in overcoming their disease.”

Han Kwang-il, principal of Pungsan Elementary School, a partner school of the National Cancer Center hospital school, said, “The hospital school has gone beyond simply delivering coursework, providing tailored education while carefully attending to the children's health and emotional state,” adding, “We will continue to put into practice an educational philosophy that connects treatment, recovery and learning.”

Park Hyun-jin, head of the hospital school at the National Cancer Center’s Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer, said, “The hospital school is the place where children with pediatric and adolescent cancer feel most secure, and for the past 20 years it has served as a bridge that prevents their schooling from being interrupted and helps plan their path after treatment,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen cancer awareness education for students and teachers at the children’s home schools, and to be a solid foundation so that they can return to school and society with stability after treatment.”

 

■ National Medical Center holds a kick-off meeting for its Cambodia public health system capacity-building project


The National Medical Center (Director Suh Gil-jun) held a launch briefing on the 20th in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the ‘Project to Strengthen the Capacity of the Comprehensive Public Health System in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia’, supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and shared its plans for carrying out the project.

The ‘Project to Strengthen the Capacity of the Comprehensive Public Health System in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia’ is an official development assistance (ODA) project supported by KOICA, aimed at strengthening the capacity of the public health system in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia. Through it, the functions of the regional public health system, including the Ratanakiri Provincial Referral Hospital, will be strengthened and local residents' access to medical services and the quality of care improved.

The event was attended by Director Suh Gil-jun, H.E Sung Vinntak, Secretary of State at Cambodia's Ministry of Health, and Choi Moon-jung, Director of the KOICA Cambodia Office, along with other project officials. Hong Won-pyo, head of the National Medical Center's international cooperation task force (project manager), and Ma Yeon-ji, partner at Team Sailors Consulting (health and medical expert), also took part, discussing the direction of the project and ways to cooperate.

The project pursues a comprehensive strengthening of the capacity of the public health system, with the goal of ‘strengthening health care from policy and hospitals through to the community’. Its main components are: △construction of one new medical facility building each at Ratanakiri Provincial Referral Hospital and Koun Mom Referral Hospital △provision of medical equipment △capacity building for medical personnel and biomedical engineers through in-country and invitational training and the dispatch of experts △support for drawing up public health care plans △activities to raise awareness among local residents by strengthening the capacity of health centers and village health workers.

The project is being carried out under the name ‘Sokha Ratanakiri Project’; Sokha means ‘health’ in Khmer. The name reflects the project's aim of supporting better health for the residents of Ratanakiri Province and the establishment of a sustainable public health system.

Director Suh Gil-jun said, “It is meaningful for us to cooperate in strengthening Cambodia's health system on the basis of the public healthcare experience and expertise the National Medical Center has accumulated,” adding, “We will continue to work closely with KOICA and local partner organizations so that the project proceeds steadily and leads to tangible results.”

 

■ Chungnam Regional Cancer Center and the Chungnam Regional Cancer Survivor Integrated Support Center rank first nationwide in the 2025 comprehensive evaluation of cancer control programs···receiving the Minister of Health and Welfare Award


Dankook University Hospital (Hospital Director Kim Jae-il), through its Chungnam Regional Cancer Center and the Chungnam Regional Integrated Support Center for Cancer Survivors, took first place overall among the country's 13 regional cancer centers in the ‘2025 Comprehensive Evaluation of Cancer Control Programs’, and went on to win the Minister of Health and Welfare’s Award at the recent ‘National Cancer Control Program Best Practice Competition’ hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The achievement was highly rated for establishing a region-centered cancer control system and for stably operating a full-cycle management system running from cancer prevention through screening, treatment and follow-up care to support for cancer survivors.

Since being designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2023, the Chungnam Regional Cancer Center has built an integrated regional cancer control network, systematizing cooperation among city and county public health centers, medical institutions and related organizations, and has pursued integrated cancer control programs suited to the characteristics of the region.

In particular, reflecting the high proportion of foreign residents in the Chungnam area, it runs a ‘cancer navigator training program’ for migrants, the first of its kind in the country. Under this model, migrants living in Korea complete beginner, intermediate and advanced training courses and then support fellow migrants in cancer prevention and the use of medical services, with a focus on easing language and cultural barriers.

At present 16 migrants from six countries — China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Japan, Ukraine and Belgium — are taking part, and the navigators trained so far provide medical interpretation support for foreign cancer patients, produce multilingual cancer prevention content, and carry out community education and outreach activities. On the basis of such activities, they are leading the way in closing gaps in medical care, encouraging foreign patients to take part in cancer screening and preventing them from dropping out of treatment partway through.
 
It is also expanding cancer control programs for vulnerable groups in cooperation with the Chungcheongnam-do Office of Education, the National Health Insurance Service and the Chungnam Workers' Health Center. In the process it has raised cancer screening participation rates, encouraged participation by vulnerable groups with poor access to healthcare, and made progress in narrowing health gaps between regions.

The Chungnam Regional Cancer Survivor Integrated Support Center was likewise highly rated for expanding integrated support programs centered on psychological support, along with community-linked projects, in response to the growing number of cancer survivors. Through its ‘outreach cancer survivor integrated support center’ it provides community-based services rooted in public health centers, and it has built a non-face-to-face psychological intervention program using the metaverse, presenting a new service model that reduces constraints of time and space.

As a result, as of 2025 it had 722 registered cancer survivors and 1,828 cumulative users, and the number of center users rose sharply from 52 in 2023 to 1,140 in 2025. In a satisfaction survey conducted by the National Cancer Survivor Integrated Support Center, it scored 90.8 points for overall satisfaction, above the national average of 88.5, demonstrating the effectiveness and reliability of its services.

Choi Sang-kyu, Director of the Chungnam Regional Cancer Center, said, “These results come from close cooperation with the local community and the continuous improvement of our programs,” adding, “We will continue to expand tailored cancer prevention and control programs that reflect the characteristics of the region, improving access to cancer care for the people of Chungcheongnam-do and contributing to greater health equity.”

Lee Jung-jae, Director of the Chungnam Regional Cancer Survivor Integrated Support Center, also said, “We will continue to strengthen integrated support services that improve cancer survivors' quality of life, and build a systematic, community-based support system.”

 

■ Inha University College of Medicine completes ‘silent mentor’ simulated surgery training at Tzu Chi University College of Medicine in Taiwan


Inha University Medical Center (Director Lee Taek) announced on the 24th that its medical students took part in the ‘Silent Mentor’ program at the College of Medicine of Tzu Chi University in Hualien, Taiwan, the first medical school in Korea to do so.

The delegation consisted of Choi Jung-seok, Associate Dean for Education; Kim Keun-ho, head of department; Professor Kim Il-du; and four fourth-year medical students. Over six days from the 15th to the 20th they visited the Tzu Chi University College of Medicine, internationally renowned for its distinctive anatomy classes, for hands-on training.

The ‘Silent Mentor’ program the delegation joined is distinctive in that it treats the donated body not as a mere anatomical object but as a ‘teacher’, prompting deep reflection on respect for life and human dignity. Before the simulated surgery practicum, the students studied the donors' lives in advance and went through a parallel humanities-based educational process — meeting bereaved families and taking part in gratitude rites and memorial ceremonies — that kept the donors' lives in mind.

In particular, this session was carried out in accordance with the donors’ noble wishes, using a donor’s body (fresh cadaver) in a human anatomical environment as close as possible to an actual clinical setting. The participating students practised hands-on the basic clinical skills that are essential to caring for patients in the future, strengthening their practical competence as medical professionals in training. Beyond simply acquiring techniques, they experienced the preciousness of life for themselves, gaining an opportunity for integrated education that cultivates medical ethics and professionalism at the same time.

The Tzu Chi University College of Medicine has practiced education that honors donated bodies as ‘silent mentors’ since 1996 and has run the program in earnest since 2002. These efforts have spread awareness of bioethics throughout Taiwanese society, with some 43,000 people having pledged to donate their bodies to date, and the program is regarded internationally as an exemplary model of anatomy education.

The training was also part of the ‘community-based medical education’ program that Inha University College of Medicine is pursuing. Since last year it has been adopted as specialized education under the Regional Innovation System and Education (RISE) project run by the Ministry of Education together with Incheon Metropolitan City and the other 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, and its capabilities are being strengthened accordingly.

Building on the results of this training, Inha University College of Medicine plans to strengthen a clinical surgical anatomy curriculum that integrates medical humanities, basic anatomy and clinical medicine, and to systematize mutual cooperation with the Tzu Chi University College of Medicine in Taiwan, so as to become a medical school that fulfills its social responsibilities.

Lee Hoon-jae, Dean of Inha University College of Medicine, said, “This training at Tzu Chi University in Taiwan was an important opportunity to confirm the direction of the community-based medical education and integrated curriculum that Inha University College of Medicine is aiming for,” adding, “Based on the ‘Silent Mentor’ program model, we plan to introduce in earnest a surgical anatomy curriculum linked to the new education and practice building now being built.”

 

■ Korean researchers develop a targeted anticancer drug candidate for intractable breast cancer


A research team led by Dr. Kim Jae-sung of the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (President Lee Jin-kyung) announced that, through joint research with the team of Dr. Jung Kwan-ryeong at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (President Lee Young-kook), it has developed ‘MKI-3’, a candidate anticancer drug targeting intractable triple-negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Among its types, triple-negative breast cancer is particularly difficult to treat. Because neither the female hormone receptors nor the HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) protein used in breast cancer treatment is expressed, hormone therapy and HER2-targeted therapy are not options and patients must rely on conventional chemotherapy alone. Even that has a low response rate, making it an intractable cancer with extremely limited treatment options.

Since 2020 the team has been developing an anticancer agent targeting a specific protein (MASTL) that orchestrates the process of cell division. When this protein is excessively activated in cancer cells, proliferation and metastasis accelerate; conversely, inhibiting it opens a pathway by which the cancer cells die on their own.

‘MKI-3’, the product of compound screening and structural optimization research, showed about 6.5 times greater MASTL inhibitory potency than the previous candidate compound, and high selectivity was also confirmed, with almost no effect on structurally similar proteins. It also resolved the problem of the previous candidate breaking down rapidly in the body, greatly improving its practicality as a drug.

In animal experiments, administering ‘MKI-3’ for 18 days in a hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer model significantly suppressed tumor growth, and no toxic findings such as weight loss were observed.

‘MKI-3’ is expected to be applicable not only to triple-negative breast cancer but also to a range of cancers in which MASTL is excessively activated. As a new approach targeting the mechanism that regulates cell division, it is drawing attention as a potential breakthrough in treating intractable cancers that do not respond to existing anticancer drugs.

Dr. Kim Jae-sung said, “This study is significant in that it presents the possibility of a new treatment strategy for patients with intractable cancers that have not responded sufficiently to existing anticancer drugs,” adding, “We expect it to serve as important scientific evidence for developing precision-medicine-based targeted treatment strategies that take into account each patient's target protein expression profile.”

The study was supported by the Korea Drug Development Fund's ‘drug discovery infrastructure research’ program, the ‘advancement of future radiation strength technologies’ program of the nuclear research and development project, and core projects of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology. The results were published in March 2026 in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, a leading international journal in the field of drug development.

 

■ A single PET-CT can predict the risk of postoperative complications in cancer patients


A study has found that assessing the degree of coronary artery calcification on the PET-CT scans used in cancer diagnosis makes it possible to predict the risk of cardiovascular complications after surgery, without additional tests or radiation exposure.

PET-CT is generally used to check whether a cancer has spread and to determine its stage in order to plan treatment. Many elderly cancer patients, however, do not undergo separate cardiovascular screening, so their cardiovascular risk factors often go insufficiently assessed.

A team led by Professor Lee Seok-hyun of the Department of Radiology at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital (Director Lee Dong-jin) analyzed how coronary artery calcification identified on PET-CT scans performed in cancer patients relates to the risk of cardiovascular complications after surgery.

The team analyzed the imaging records of 972 patients who underwent PET-CT between 2013 and 2024 and then had relatively major surgery on the abdomen or chest within a year. Using the CT images included in the PET-CT scan, they assessed the degree of calcification built up in the coronary arteries and classified it into four levels: none, mild, moderate and severe.

The analysis found moderate or greater coronary artery calcification in 16% of all patients. Major cardiovascular complications — death within 30 days of surgery or a rise in troponin I, the blood test marker that indicates myocardial injury — occurred in 3.2%.

The higher the degree of calcification, the more clearly the risk of complications increased. The complication rate was 1.9% in patients with no calcification, compared with 3.1% for mild, 5.8% for moderate and 11.3% for severe calcification. This suggests that calcification information read from PET-CT images can be used in stratifying surgical risk.

The team explained that coronary artery calcification can reflect a patient's overall health status, not merely serve as an indicator of heart disease. Indeed, an analysis of the deaths among patients with moderate or greater calcification also confirmed an association with systemic complications such as post-operative infection and respiratory failure, rather than with direct cardiac causes.

The team plans to expand the work into an AI-based automated coronary artery calcification analysis model and integrate it into the PET-CT reading process, developing it into a more standardized and efficient risk prediction system.

Professor Lee Seok-hyun said, “PET-CT is perceived as a test for diagnosing cancer, but it is at the same time an important imaging resource that shows a patient's overall health status,” adding, “Assessing coronary artery calcification information alongside it can help build a more precise pre-operative risk management strategy for cancer patients.”

This study, ‘Visual Ordinal Coronary Calcium Scoring on Routine PET-CT for Predicting Perioperative Major Clinical Events After Noncardiac Surgery’, was published in February 2026 in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) (2024 Impact Factor 6.1, top 8%), the official journal of the American Roentgen Ray Society.

 

■ Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital receives an outstanding donor plaque for ‘2026 Hope Ondol Warm Winter’


Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital (Director Heo Jun) received a plaque of appreciation on the 23rd after being selected as an outstanding donor in the ‘2026 Hope Ondol Warm Winter’ program run by Yeongdeungpo-gu Office.

The nursing department of Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital was recognized for holding a ‘Love Sharing Bazaar’ every year and donating the proceeds.

Funds raised through the bazaar are used to support living and medical costs for older people living alone and low-income households in Yeongdeungpo-gu.

Lee Mi-hwa, Director of Nursing at Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, said, “I am glad that the proceeds from the bazaar have been of real help to local residents,” adding, “We will steadily continue our social contribution activities so that we remain a hospital that thrives alongside the community and gives strength to our neighbors.”

Tag#Lim Min-ho, Director of Bumin Prestige Life Care Center#Busan Yeongdo Hospital#Ulsan Elijah Hospital#Director Shin Sang-ha#Chungdam Wooridul Hospital#Gachon University Gil Hospital#Gachon University College of Medicine#St. Peter's Hospital#Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital#Korea University Ansan Hospital#Yonsei University Quantum Initiative#Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital#International St. Mary's Hospital#Konkuk University Hospital#National Cancer Center#National Medical Center#Dankook University Hospital#Inha University#Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences#Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital#Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital

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