Seoul to host World Hospital Congress next year
Dr. Lee Wang-jun, chair and CEO of Myongji Medical Foundation, has been elected as the next International Hospital Federation president, becoming the second Korean to lead the 95-year-old global organization, the Korea Hospital Association said Wednesday.
The announcement was made Tuesday during the 48th World Hospital Congress held Nov. 10-13 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Lee will serve a two-year term from 2027 to 2029, following his participation in the federation’s six-year executive leadership cycle, which includes roles as president-elect and immediate past president.
Lee becomes only the second Korean president of the federation, following Dr. Kim Kwang-tae, who served from 2013 to 2015 and is slated to receive a merit award during the 48th World Hospital Congress.
“Korea has been one of the most active member countries since the IHF’s founding. As president, I will work to broaden participation from Asia and Africa and help the IHF evolve into an organization of true global diversity," Lee said in a statement.
He added that the 49th World Hospital Congress, to be held in Seoul in October 2026, “will showcase Korea’s innovation and resilience in health care and serve as a new milestone for global hospital leadership.”
The IHF, founded in 1929, is a nonprofit global association of hospitals and hospital associations from over 70 countries, focused on knowledge exchange and leadership in health care.
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