Dongseo University PhD Candidate Yeji Kim Publishes Paper in Prestigious International Journal

Yeji Kim Publishes in Science & Justice
International Collaborative Research on Forensic Radiological Imaging Achieves Breakthroughs in Identification Methods

Dongseo University (President Jang Jeguk) announced on September 2 that Yeji Kim, a PhD candidate in the Department of Convergence Radiological Sciences at the Graduate School (supervised by Professor Yongsu Yoon), has published a research paper in the international journal Science & Justice.

(From left) Professor Eunju Kang, Department of Radiology, Dong-A University Hospital; PhD candidate Yeji Kim, Department of Convergence Radiological Sciences, Graduate School, Dongseo University; Professor Yongsu Yoon; Team Leader Wonseok Yang, Department of Radiology, Dong-A University Hospital. Provided by Dongseo University

Science & Justice is an international academic journal published by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, a globally renowned forensic science institution based in the United Kingdom.

This achievement is the result of joint research between Dongseo University, a glocal alliance university, and Dong-A University. Led by Professor Yongsu Yoon of the Department of Radiological Science at Dongseo University, the study involved the Department of Radiology at Dong-A University Hospital (Professor Eunju Kang and Team Leader Wonseok Yang), the National Forensic Service, and the Department of Forensic Pathology at the Medical Institute of Kyushu University in Japan. The significance of this international collaborative research lies in its use of multicenter CT imaging data.

This study drew attention for establishing an original dataset encompassing both antemortem and postmortem imaging, despite the challenges in collecting medical imaging data.

In particular, postmortem CT images are extremely limited compared to clinical images due to their forensic specificity, making this achievement especially meaningful as it overcame such limitations.

Medical implants can serve as key clues for identification by being compared with an individual's past medical records. The research team applied radiological image analysis to this process, enabling the pre-autopsy identification of the presence, type, and location of medical implants within the body.

This advancement is expected to support rapid and accurate identification in forensic settings, and could make a substantial contribution in situations involving mass casualties, such as large-scale disasters.

Currently, Professor Yongsu Yoon's research team is conducting collaborative clinical research with Dong-A University Hospital, and is also engaged in joint research with the Busan Institute of Scientific Investigation at the National Forensic Service, the Department of Forensic Pathology at the Medical Institute of Kyushu University in Japan, and the Forensic Imaging Research Team at Tohoku University in Japan.

Building on this achievement, the team plans to continue pursuing follow-up studies that combine artificial intelligence with forensic image analysis, supported by international collaborative research grants from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (KAKEN). The research group is expected to play a leading role in establishing an international research center focused on radiological medical science, which is one of Busan's nine strategic bio-health industries.