Recognized for Both Academic Achievements and Field Expertise
The Right Leader to Guide Psychiatry in Northern Gyeonggi Province
Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea has been officially reselected as the operating institution for the Uijeongbu City Addiction Management Integrated Support Center.
The entrusted management period will last for five years, from March 1, 2026, to February 28, 2031. Having first been entrusted with the center in 2018, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital has once again secured operational rights, reaffirming its unparalleled expertise and trust in the field of addiction prevention and management within the local community.
The director of the Addiction Management Integrated Support Center will be Professor Kim Jongtae from the Department of Psychiatry. Last month, Professor Kim was recognized for his contributions to addiction prevention and treatment research by receiving the 'Rising Researcher Award' at the '2025 Year-End Forum' hosted by the Addiction Forum, a non-profit organization, further highlighting his academic achievements and suitability for the role.
At the award ceremony, Professor Kim stated, "Addiction is not a matter of personal willpower but a disease that requires both social support and professional treatment," expressing his commitment to becoming a researcher who makes practical contributions in the field.
Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital plans to further strengthen its role as a core medical hub in northern Gyeonggi Province, leveraging both the center's renewed management and Professor Kim's recent award.
In particular, the hospital intends to address recent social issues such as the decreasing age of onset for drug and gambling addiction by focusing on building a comprehensive 'healing safety net' that goes beyond simple treatment to support patients' return to daily life.
Professor Kim Jongtae emphasized, "Based on the hospital's core value of respect for life, I will stand by those struggling with addiction with unwavering dedication until they are able to regain healthy daily lives."
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