"Personally Performing Night Surgeries"... Donghae Hospital Director Kim Hongju Receives Industrial Accident Medical Award

Kim Hongju, Director of Donghae Hospital of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, has been selected as a recipient of the "2025 Republic of Korea Industrial Accident Medical Award."

On February 12, the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service announced that it had selected Director Kim as this year's awardee in recognition of his contributions to the treatment of industrial accident patients, support for their return to work and social reintegration, and the development of regional public healthcare.

Kim Hongju

The Republic of Korea Industrial Accident Medical Award is the highest honor within the Service, given to medical professionals among the medical staff of 15 industrial accident hospitals and clinics nationwide who have dedicated themselves on the front lines of public healthcare. The Service presents this award every year to honor the mission and hard work of medical professionals who have quietly fulfilled their roles in clinical settings.

Director Kim is a board-certified general surgeon who graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine in 1981, obtained his general surgery certification in 1986, served as Director of Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital from 2010 to 2016 and as Director of Paik Medical Center from 2016 to 2018, and has been leading Donghae Hospital of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service since 2019.

Since taking office, over the past six years Director Kim has played a key role in establishing Donghae Hospital as the largest rehabilitation-specialized hospital in the Yeongdong region of Gangwon Province. By expanding clinical infrastructure, including opening a specialized digestive disease center, enlarging the endoscopy unit, and introducing state-of-the-art medical equipment, he has raised the standard of industrial accident medical services.

In 2023, marking the 40th anniversary of the hospital's opening, he also declared a new hospital vision and pursued the expansion of clinical areas as a general hospital. It is assessed that, despite regional constraints such as population decline and a shortage of medical infrastructure, he has worked to build a hospital system that takes responsibility for patients from recovery through to their return to daily life and work.

His continued presence in clinical practice while serving as an administrative leader was also recognized as a major contribution. Even while serving as hospital director, Kim continued to perform emergency general surgery and work night shifts in the emergency room, remaining on the very front line of patient care. Last year, he founded the "Soma Medical Volunteer Corps" and has since continued community contribution activities, including providing medical services to vulnerable groups and supporting coal briquettes for heating.

In his acceptance speech, Director Kim said, "I am honored to receive such an undeserved award," adding, "I will continue to develop Donghae Hospital into a region-specific industrial accident public medical institution that combines cutting-edge rehabilitation systems with warm, humane medical care."

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