Medical Korea 2023: A Global Healthcare Gathering

The largest global healthcare conference in Korea, "Medical Korea 2023 (Global Healthcare & Medical Tourism Conference)," opened at 10:00 am on the 23rd at COEX in Seoul.

Medical Korea 2023 is hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and organized by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute with the theme "Journey for a Better Life and Future." This event, which is being held after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, is a large-scale event with the participation of global experts.

At this event, key personnel in health and security from various countries around the world, such as Park Min-soo, the Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the Minister of Health of Indonesia, Lena Nanushyan, the Deputy Minister of Health of Armenia, Catalin Besliu, the Deputy Minister of Health of Romania, and Beibut Yessenbayev, the Vice Minister of Health of Kazakhstan, gathered together.

During his opening speech, Cha Soon-do, the head of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, stated, "I am very pleased to be able to meet domestic and international experts in one place as a large-scale face-to-face event after three years. As there are several presentations and discussions on major international medical trends at this event, I hope it will be an opportunity for development."

Park Min-soo, the Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, said in his welcoming remarks, "COVID-19 was a reminder of the importance of healthcare, public health, and technological sovereignty." He added, "The government will promote regulatory reform to make Korea a global leader in biotech and healthcare."

After the opening ceremony, the keynote speeches were delivered, and the event officially began. The keynote speeches were given by futurist and founder/chairman of One Shard World, Jamie Metzl, and the CEO of Kakao Healthcare, Hee Hwang.

In addition, forums on topics such as "Global Medical Tourism Trends and Opportunities for Health Cooperation," "Online Training for Overseas Medical Professionals," "International Medical Restart Strategies in the Next Normal Era," and "Healthcare Innovation in the MyData Era" were also held alongside the main event.

On this day, government awards were also presented to individuals recognized for their contributions to overseas medical expansion and attracting foreign patients. The honorees included one Presidential Commendation recipient, four Prime Minister's Commendation recipients, and 15 Minister of Health and Welfare Commendation recipients, totaling 20 individuals.