Lee Wang-joon, chairman of Myongji Hospital, was elected as the next president of the International Hospital Federation...The second Korean
Nov 11, 2025
The International Hospital Federation (IHF) announced on November 10 that it officially elected Lee Wang-jun, chairman of Myongji Hospital, as its next chairman at the 48th World Hospital Congress in Geneva, Switzerland.
As a result, Chairman Lee will serve as IHF chairman for two years from 2027 to 2029, and immediately after his election, he will participate in the six-year cycle of executive committee leadership consisting of the next, current, and full-time chairmen.
The International Hospital Federation is a non-profit international organization in which leading hospitals around the world, including hospital associations from more than 70 countries and Johns Hopkins Hospital, participate as special members, with about 30,000 hospitals around the world.
Founded in 1929 and with a history of nearly 100 years, IHF is an official cooperative partner of the WHO, and its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland. Since joining the IHF in 1966, the Korean Hospital Association has been active representing Asia along with Japan and Hong Kong.
With this election, Korea will be the second chairman to produce after Kim Kwang-tae, honorary chairman of the Korean Hospital Association, who served as IHF chairman from 2013 to 2015. This is evaluated as a meaningful achievement that once again proves the trust and status that the Korean hospital community has built up in the international community for a long time.
IHF Secretary-General Ronald Lavater said, `The rich leadership accumulated in Myongji Hospital and Korea has made Chairman Lee Wang-jun a valuable member of the IHF community"As a true advocate of cross-border cooperation, we expect to realize the innovative vision of global healthcare through our presidency."
Lee Sung-kyu, chairman of the Korean Hospital Association, said, `The election of Vice Chairman Lee Wang-jun as the next president of the IHF is a meaningful result of the world recognition of the excellence and leadership of the Korean hospital community.' `We will work closely with the Korean Hospital Association to further enhance the international status of Korean health care.'
Chairman Lee Wang-jun has been steadily participating in major IHF activities on behalf of the Korean Hospital Association for the past 15 years and has taken the lead in international exchanges to expand the global hospital network and strengthen leadership. In 2023, he was elected as a Board Member (IHF) and has contributed to cooperation and knowledge sharing between hospital associations in each country as chairman of the Association Leaders Circle under the IHF.
Domestically, he established the Korea Healthcare Congress (KHC), a representative international academic event of the Korean Hospital Association in 2010, and has led international exchanges by serving as the chairman of the organizing committee.
Chairman Lee said, `The Korean hospital community is one of the most active member countries since the foundation of the IHF. I will do my best to expand participation in Asia and Africa and develop the IHF into an organization that truly realizes global diversity" he expressed his ambition.
We will also successfully host the 49th World Hospital Congress in Seoul in 2026 to show the innovation and resilience of Korean medical care to the world, and make the Seoul Games a new milestone in hospital leadership around the world," he added.
Lee Wang-jun, the next chairman, presented three visions for the future development direction of the IHF in Geneva. First, the Geneva Sustainability Centre under the IHF will spread international sustainability agendas such as carbon neutrality to the healthcare sector, second, establish an international support system to respond to future medical technology changes such as AI and digital healthcare, and third, expand networks between member countries to expand participation and support of underdeveloped countries while deepening international solidarity and exchanges between hospitals in advanced countries.
As a result, Chairman Lee will serve as IHF chairman for two years from 2027 to 2029, and immediately after his election, he will participate in the six-year cycle of executive committee leadership consisting of the next, current, and full-time chairmen.
The International Hospital Federation is a non-profit international organization in which leading hospitals around the world, including hospital associations from more than 70 countries and Johns Hopkins Hospital, participate as special members, with about 30,000 hospitals around the world.
Founded in 1929 and with a history of nearly 100 years, IHF is an official cooperative partner of the WHO, and its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland. Since joining the IHF in 1966, the Korean Hospital Association has been active representing Asia along with Japan and Hong Kong.
With this election, Korea will be the second chairman to produce after Kim Kwang-tae, honorary chairman of the Korean Hospital Association, who served as IHF chairman from 2013 to 2015. This is evaluated as a meaningful achievement that once again proves the trust and status that the Korean hospital community has built up in the international community for a long time.
IHF Secretary-General Ronald Lavater said, `The rich leadership accumulated in Myongji Hospital and Korea has made Chairman Lee Wang-jun a valuable member of the IHF community"As a true advocate of cross-border cooperation, we expect to realize the innovative vision of global healthcare through our presidency."
Lee Sung-kyu, chairman of the Korean Hospital Association, said, `The election of Vice Chairman Lee Wang-jun as the next president of the IHF is a meaningful result of the world recognition of the excellence and leadership of the Korean hospital community.' `We will work closely with the Korean Hospital Association to further enhance the international status of Korean health care.'
Chairman Lee Wang-jun has been steadily participating in major IHF activities on behalf of the Korean Hospital Association for the past 15 years and has taken the lead in international exchanges to expand the global hospital network and strengthen leadership. In 2023, he was elected as a Board Member (IHF) and has contributed to cooperation and knowledge sharing between hospital associations in each country as chairman of the Association Leaders Circle under the IHF.
Domestically, he established the Korea Healthcare Congress (KHC), a representative international academic event of the Korean Hospital Association in 2010, and has led international exchanges by serving as the chairman of the organizing committee.
Chairman Lee said, `The Korean hospital community is one of the most active member countries since the foundation of the IHF. I will do my best to expand participation in Asia and Africa and develop the IHF into an organization that truly realizes global diversity" he expressed his ambition.
We will also successfully host the 49th World Hospital Congress in Seoul in 2026 to show the innovation and resilience of Korean medical care to the world, and make the Seoul Games a new milestone in hospital leadership around the world," he added.
Lee Wang-jun, the next chairman, presented three visions for the future development direction of the IHF in Geneva. First, the Geneva Sustainability Centre under the IHF will spread international sustainability agendas such as carbon neutrality to the healthcare sector, second, establish an international support system to respond to future medical technology changes such as AI and digital healthcare, and third, expand networks between member countries to expand participation and support of underdeveloped countries while deepening international solidarity and exchanges between hospitals in advanced countries.
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
