Top 10 Major Achievements Announced for This Year
Recognized as a Leading Specialized Hospital by U.S. News Magazine
This year, Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital's major achievements included being selected for the sixth consecutive year as one of the world's best cancer hospitals by the U.S. news magazine Newsweek, as well as the announcement of a mid- to long-term vision to become a central hospital for cancer care and research in Asia.
According to Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital on December 30, the hospital conducted a survey titled "Top 10 News of 2025" among all staff members to reflect on the hospital's major achievements as the year comes to a close.
The survey was conducted from December 10 to 23. The results confirmed that Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital further solidified its position as a world-class cancer hospital in 2025, while also achieving meaningful results across clinical care, research, and infrastructure.
The achievement that resonated most with the hospital's staff was being selected for the sixth consecutive year as one of the "World's Best Specialized Hospitals" by the U.S. news magazine Newsweek.
In the "World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2026" evaluation, Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital ranked 140th globally in the field of oncology. Among national university hospitals in Korea, only Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital and Seoul National University Hospital were included. Out of 14 Korean hospitals ranked within the top 300 worldwide, Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital was the only non-metropolitan hospital in the upper ranks, thereby demonstrating the competitiveness of regional healthcare on the international stage.
The second most significant achievement was the announcement of the hospital's mid- to long-term vision and future growth strategy in celebration of its 21st anniversary. Aiming to become "the central hospital for cancer care and research in Asia," Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital declared its ambition to evolve into a future-oriented cancer hospital where clinical care, research, and education are organically connected.
To this end, the hospital presented mid- to long-term plans, including the construction of a digital anticancer center, the establishment of the largest clinical trial center in Korea, and the introduction of large-scale advanced medical equipment. The hospital made clear its direction to grow beyond a research-centered hospital into a medical hub connecting the local community and the world.
The third-ranked achievement was being selected for the "Digital Bio Smart Clinical Support Platform Development (K-HOPE)" project, a core research and development initiative by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. This project, with a total budget of 17.6 billion KRW over three years from 2025 to 2027, will be led by Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital as the main research and development institution.
The K-HOPE project aims to integrate all clinical and non-clinical processes on a digital basis to establish an ecosystem for precision medicine-focused new drug development. By utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to predict drug safety and digitize clinical trial operations, the project seeks to enhance research efficiency and strengthen the hospital's competitiveness in precision medicine research, leveraging its extensive cancer patient data.
In this survey, not only large-scale research projects but also achievements related to improvements in clinical environments and patient-centered care received high marks. Ranked fourth through tenth were: surpassing 2,000 robotic surgeries; selection for the regional lead medical institution's final treatment capacity enhancement project; receiving multiple "top grade" ratings in key Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service evaluations; expanding the introduction of advanced medical equipment such as AI, robotics, and smart rehabilitation; strengthening cooperation with domestic and international bio-health companies centered on the Future Medical Innovation Center; establishing a new ward on the eighth floor and reorganizing four-person rooms to improve patient-centered ward environments; and expanding the injection room to 143 beds to reduce waiting times and improve treatment efficiency.
Bae Hongbeom, Director of Planning and Coordination, stated, "This year's top 10 news items are the result of summarizing the changes and achievements the hospital has made over the past year from the perspective of its members. The daily efforts quietly continued by each department have naturally come together," adding, "I hope this serves as an opportunity for members to reflect on how our clinical and research achievements are being evaluated externally and to share and appreciate each other's hard work as we close out the year together."
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