Lee Woo-yong, a professor of colorectal surgery at Samsung Medical Center, has taken office as the new chairman of the Korean Cancer Association. His term runs for two years, from the first of this month through June 2028.
The Korean Cancer Association is the largest academic organization for cancer research in Korea, rooted in the Korean Cancer Research Society founded in 1974. It spans both basic and clinical fields and has some 2,400 members.
The new chairman is one of the most renowned physicians in the field of colorectal disease. He graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine in 1988 and has served as a professor of colorectal surgery at Samsung Medical Center since 1999. He has held major posts including director of the Colorectal Cancer Center, chief of the Department of Surgery, head of the planning office, head of the Health Promotion Center, and director of the Cancer Center at Samsung Medical Center. Since January this year, he has served as vice president for medical affairs at Sungkyunkwan University. He previously served as chairman of the Korean Society of Coloproctology, the Korean Surgical Society, and the Korean Society of Surgical Oncology. In 2024, he served as president of the International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons, which brings together 449 medical staff from university hospitals in 81 countries, working to enhance the global competitiveness of Korean physicians. In recognition of these contributions, he received the Order of Service Merit, Red Stripes, at the 18th Cancer Prevention Day ceremony last year.
"Korea's level of cancer research and treatment has already risen to the world's highest ranks," Lee said. "By gathering the aspirations of all those who have sought to create a healthier world, we will move forward toward a greater dream."
