[Chairman Ha Choong-sik of Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital commits a gift of 10 billion won to POSTECH to raise physician scientists and promote public health in Korea and the world.]

Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital has committed a gift of 10 billion won (USD 8.4 million) to POSTECH, which has recently started initiatives to nurture physicians-scientists.

Chairman Ha Choong-sik of Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital and POSTECH president Moo Hwan Kim recently attended the donation ceremony held at the Grand Mercure Ambassador in Changwon to mark this occasion. The gift will help to drive the medical science and engineering research, and to raise physician scientists at the new School of Convergence Science and Technology, set to open in 2023. In the long-run, the gift will be used for the establishment of POSTECH’s engineering-based College of Medicine and for its innovative medical education and research for the advancement of humanity.

“POSTECH and Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital share the common goal to promote public health within Korea and the world through biomedical engineering,” explained Chairman Ha on his commitment to donate to POSTECH. “We will work together to achieve this shared goal by partnering in research and education.”

“Innovation in medical science education and research is an imperative choice for humanity as we rapidly enter the super-aged society and experience the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic,” President Moo Hwan Kim said. “We will cultivate physician scientists together with Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital, which will share and partake in POSTECH’s new vision.”

Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital is one of Changwon’s leading hospitals that opened in 1994 and currently operates 30 departments under 24 treatment centers. Chairman Ha is deeply interested in social contribution as he has donated over 15 billion won (USD 12.7 million) for over 30 years through outreach programs.

POSTECH announced that it will newly open a graduate program in medical science and engineering in the School of Convergence Science and Technology in 2023 to train physician scientists coming from different backgrounds. POSTECH houses excellent biomedical infrastructure such as the 3rd and 4th synchrotron radiation accelerators and the Institute of Membrane Proteins to prepare for Korea’s super-aged society and for the post-Covid-19 era.