Unclassified Memorandum
The World Korean Medical Organization (WKMO)
has a lot to celebrate since it was launched in Los Angeles, California in July
2012. I applaud WKMO’s mission to facilitate medical and scientific research
and improve standards of healthcare and medical training worldwide by tapping
into a vast network of Koreans working or studying in various medical fields
across the world.
WKMO’s new World Korean Medical Journal will
serve as a means to share new information and trends while supporting an
expanding network of over 140,000 Korean physicians, healthcare industry
leaders, and bio medicine scientists. I would like to congratulate WKMO on the
launch of this journal and which the organization success in its mission to
advance global cooperation in the field of health.
As the world becomes more globalized, no
country acting alone will be able to successfully meet the challenges of the
21st century. To spur innovation and successfully tackle global public health
issues. It will take more than hard work and long hours in the lab. Our
countries need the right policy environments and our scientists and experts
need to cooperate and collaborate with global partners and colleagues.
Korea and the United States share strong
traditions in biomedical, medical sciences, and public health research, and we
have a long history of public and private sector health collaboration. Joint
efforts to advance vaccine development, pandemic influenza preparedness, liver
cancer and cancer genomics, and chronic and infectious disease research have
undoubtedly had a positive impact on global public health. In fact, some of our
greatest tools of international diplomacy today involve science and technology
partnerships, collaboration, and international exchange programs that allow us
to learn from each other.
The U.S.-Korea partnership – a relationship
begun in the 19th century and solidified in the 20th century – is evolving to
meet the challenges of the 21st century. Like WKMO, we are working hard at the
U.S. Embassy in Seoul to expand people-to-people ties through a variety of
programs designed to bring people together to effect positive change in the world.
Let me again congratulate WKMO on the
publication of your World Korean Medical Journal and I thank you for your
contributions in the field of global health.
Sung Y. Kim
The Ambassador
U.S. Embassy Seoul, Korea