Park Jung-yul elected President of the World Medical Association

Park Jung-yul, the International Cooperation Committee Chair of the Korean Medical Association and a neurosurgery professor at Korea University Anam Hospital, has officially assumed the presidency of the World Medical Association (WMA). The announcement was made during the 77th WMA General Assembly held in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

This appointment marks the first time in 41 years that a South Korean physician has led the WMA, following the tenure of the late Moon Tae-jun in 1985. Park has held several leadership roles within the organization, including serving as a WMA director since 2018 and Chair of the Council since 2023.

During his one-year term, Park outlined six key priorities: strengthening primary healthcare, protecting next-generation physicians, establishing human-centered AI ethics guidelines, responding to climate crises and disasters, upholding medical neutrality, and expanding member participation. He emphasized the importance of protecting professional autonomy, improving working conditions, and addressing healthcare disparities through international cooperation.