Gachon University President Gil-yeo Lee Receives 'Korea Manager Award' from Korea Management Association

Gil-yeo Lee, President of Gachon University

President Gil-yeo Lee of Gachon University received the ‘54th Korea Manager Award’ from the Korea Management Association. The award ceremony will be held on the 24th of next month at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Seoul.

President Lee was recognized for her contributions to medical and educational innovation, advancement of medical science, and her dedication to service and patriotism while managing Gachon University, Gachon Gil Hospital, and the Gachon Gil Foundation.

Graduating from Seoul National University College of Medicine in 1957, President Lee founded Gachon Gil Hospital. Since opening the Gil Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic in Incheon in 1958, she became the first female doctor to establish a non-profit medical corporation, introduced ultrasound equipment, computerized hospital operations, operated doctor helicopters and regional trauma centers, and introduced AI Watson, earning numerous “first in Korea” distinctions and revolutionizing hospital management. She has also been highly praised for her continuous volunteer work, including running a hospital without deposits, providing free cervical cancer screenings, medical volunteer work in underserved areas, operating hospitals in medically vulnerable regions, and offering free surgeries for overseas heart disease patients.

Furthermore, she established Gachon Medical School and integrated four universities within the foundation, creating a model for university innovation. She has taken the lead in nurturing talent in advanced industries through the establishment of a semiconductor university and the introduction of an AI department. To advance basic medical science, she operates the Brain Science Research Institute, the Gil-yeo Lee Cancer and Diabetes Research Institute, and the Gachon BioNano Research Institute, and has significantly contributed to medical science by having Gachon designated as one of the top three government-designated research-oriented hospitals.

In her acceptance speech, President Lee said, "I decided to become a doctor after seeing poor people die without receiving proper treatment. Most male students who served as student soldiers in the Korean War did not return. With the thought that I must fulfill their roles, I have devoted my life to caring for marginalized patients, nurturing talented individuals, and advancing basic medical science. I will continue to operate the Gachon Gil Foundation as Korea’s premier public interest foundation."

The Korea Management Association has been awarding the ‘Korea Manager Award’ since 1969, with participation from leading academic, industrial, economic organizations, and research institutions in Korea. The award is given annually through fair evaluation, divided into large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises.

This year, alongside President Gil-yeo Lee, the recipients include Woong-ki Kim, Chairman of Global Sea Group; Jang-yeol Jeon, Chairman of Geumgang Industry; and Yong-jun Jo, Vice Chairman of Donggu BioPharmaceutical.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.