1. Dr. Sun, you are a renowned
physician and professor. What was your motivation to become a doctor and did
you face any significant obstacles?
- When I was young, I wanted to be
an architect. I dreamed of building a beautiful house that I designed at the
top of a hill where the sun rises and sets, a house in which I could live with
those I loved. However, I could not persuade my teacher during my senior year
of high school and ended up applying to medical school, following his advice.
Recently, I watched the Korean film “Architecture 101” and was reminded of that
lost dream.
-In the beginning, studying
medical-related courses was quite boring for me. However, during my second year
of medical school, I began taking clinical courses and studying suddenly became
very interesting. Looking back, I think that the reason I decided to become a
surgeon is because like architecture, medicine involves many geometric
elements. I became particularly attracted to the field of cardiovascular
surgery, where one could come into contact with complex human organs and work
with state-of-the-art medical equipment. I began following my cardiovascular
surgery professors around to learn more about this new field. After meeting the
renowned Professor Kim Hyung Mook and observing talented senior classmates, I
was so inspired by their passion that I practically lived at the cardiovascular
surgery department during my school vacations and was determined to apply to
the department to follow their path. If anyone asks me what the luckiest thing
that has ever happened to me is, I would be able to answer without hesitation.
It would be meeting a great mentor, my professor.
- I began a residency after I
graduated medical school in 1981. Although I was often exhausted physically, I
truly enjoyed my time as a resident because I learned more about cardiothoracic
surgery and began to envision my future as a surgeon. The most difficult
experience I had during my residency was conducting animal experimentation in
order to domestically develop medical devices. The laboratory environment at
the time was not as developed as today, and I remember spending my weekends
performing experiments in that environment. I spent so much time at the
hospital that I only visited my house 27 times during my first year of
residency. Nevertheless, that experience remains a treasured memory
- The most rewarding thing as a
cardiovascular surgeon is being able to make a difference in the lives of
patients. Although I have come to believe that there is something greater that
dictates life and death as time has passed, I still believe the abilities of a
doctor can be a powerful tool. If mankind is at the center of the macrocosmos,
the heart is at the center of every man. The heart is the most important organ
for a human to live and surprisingly, its functions are much simpler than other
organs. As a doctor, this is why I am so interested in the development of
artificial heart research and heart surgery
2. We understand that you served as
a professor at a prominent medical school and are currently serving as the
chairman of Osong Medical Innovation Foundation (K-Bio Health), a government
organization. How did you make the transition from being a physician to a
successful government organization leader?
- After I completed my studies and
began my work as a clinical professional, I encountered limits in various
aspects of South Korea’s medical technology. For years, South Korea’s clinical
medicine had been simply utilizing the techniques of developed countries. As a
result, I searched for more creative and advanced medical technology and began
to develop appropriate medical devices for my country.
- As I held various positions within
academia, I realized that treating patients was not the only aspect of
medicine. So, I applied to graduate school to study business and received my
Master of Business Administration degree. After that, I became interested in
the Humanities and Social Sciences and continued to look for opportunities to
learn, taking a variety of courses at different universities, including Seoul
National University and Korea University. I still take online classes despite
the limited time I have apart from work and other responsibilities.
- I believe that South Korea’s
biohealth industry can advance its medical technology and healthcare sector. In
order for the biohealth industry to grow, it is important for medical
technology and the healthcare sector to simultaneously work together to develop
innovative technology. My research on artificial organs and my work as a board
member of South Korea’s National Science & Technology Council, Co-CEO of
the HT Forum, and head of KHIDI’s R&D department embody my vision for South
Korea’s medical industrialization.
- After I joined the Osong Medical
Innovation Foundation (K-Bio Health) as chairman, I have been able to operate a
larger role in driving medical industrialization. As a public institution,
K-Bio Health supports the development of biomedicine and medical devices and
provides necessary infrastructure to private organizations. It is difficult for
the private sector to pursue R&D alone, but with state-of-the-art equipment
from the public sector, medical industrialization can be sped up and the possibilities
for failure can be significantly reduced. I believe that K-Bio Health is an
essential institution that will play an important role in the industrialization
of South Korea’s biohealth industry, which will drive growth in the future.
Thus, with a strong sense of responsibility, K-Bio Health will continue to work
hard to contribute to Korea’s economic growth.
3. Please introduce the Osong
Medical Innovation Foundation (K-Bio Health). What are the philosophies or
strategies of the institution? How do you distinguish the Osong Foundation from
other potential competitors throughout the globe?
- As it became clear that the
biotechnology industry would become an engine for future economic growth, the
Korean government decided to provide direct support for the R&D of domestic
companies. This is how K-Bio Health was established in 2011. Currently, K-Bio
Health is actively supported by Korea’s national government, as well as the
Chungbuk provincial government.
- K-Bio Health expedites the
development period for new drugs and medical equipment, which typically takes
around 10-15 years. Equipped with four comprehensive research centers and a
fast licensing support system, we have built an unprecedented and impressive
framework for the medical industry.
- The new drug development center
promotes the development of biomedical candidates and the medical device
development center supports all other aspects of equipment research and
development, including design, manufacturing and testing. Additionally, the
animal experiment center provides a specialized preclinical environment with
the largest veterinary diagnostic imaging system in the country. The clinical
drug manufacturing center recently acquired a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
certificate, verifying the high-quality pharmaceutical production that occurs
in the center.
- Once the clinical drug testing and
production facilities are completely established, K-Bio Health will become an
important one-stop system that plays an important role in everything from basic
research to industrialization. We will become the only bio cluster in the
world.
4. As the Chairman of Osong Medical
Innovation Foundation, what are some of the major performances and outcomes you
have accomplished under your leadership? What are the long-term goals and
visions you hope to see the foundation achieve?
-Despite the fact that only a few
years have passed since the K-Bio Health sites were established, both the
operating capacity of each center and the number of research cases have
increased dramatically. The research and development business has begun to show
substantial results. Although it usually takes around 10-15 years for a biodrug
to be developed, with our support for R&D and efficient license support
business, we expect this period of time to be shortened and the probability of
success to be increased. The future establishment of clinical drug testing and
production facilities will be very important for biohealth industrialization.
Our goal is to cultivate and eventually promote a company that can successfully
compete in the global market. We will work to help the domestic biohealth
industry advance, expand, and ultimately contribute to national growth.
5. As a key opinion leader in the
Korean healthcare industry, what are some significant changes you have noticed
in South Korea’s medical and healthcare industry? And what do you forecast the
industry will be like in the next five years?
- In recent years, the South Korean
government has provided increased support for the biohealth industry after
realizing its importance and potential for growth. In 2014, the biohealth
market was valued at about $1.4 trillion, almost as much as the semiconductor,
chemical products and automobile markets combined ($1.5 trillion). Over the
next 10 years, the biohealth market is expected to grow even larger. Last year,
one Korean pharmaceutical company acquired an $8 billion license agreement and
others entered European and American markets. Korean domestic companies are
being encouraged to look outside the domestic market. They have now begun to
change their business strategies and are shifting from developing and producing
generic medicine to developing and producing bio medicine. I strongly believe
that biohealth will become a defining industry for South Korea in the near
future.
6. What advice do you have for young
students interested in pursuing a career in medicine?
- It is vital to ask and consider
why you want to study medicine. Amongst yourselves, there may be those who
aspire to research or practice medicine, as well as some who may have interest
in the biotechnology industry. There are infinite opportunities in the
healthcare industry. Taking various opportunities such as going on observations
will be of great help. With the biohealth industry growing rapidly, the role of
physicians in both the research and business realm is receiving increasing
attention. It is important and necessary to take this fact into consideration.
7. WKMJ has readers over 10
countries. Please share your final words or thoughts with our readers.
- It is my pleasure to have this
interview with WKMJ. Please support K-Bio Health as the Korean biohealth
industry continues to expand beyond East Asia and develop worldwide. I will do
my best to achieve our goals. Thank you very much.
Kyung Sun, MD, MS, PhD, MBA
Chairman, Osong Medical Innovation
Foundation
Dr. Sun graduated from Korea University’s School of
Medicine in 1981 with a medical degree. He received a master’s in Medical
Science in 1984. He also received a PhD in Medical Science in 1990, and an MBA
in Business & Administration in 2007. Dr. Sun is currently chairman of the
Osong Medical Innovation Foundation since 2015. In the past, he served as a
director of the Korea Artificial Organ Center, a president of the Korean
Society of Medical and Biologic Engineering, and a chair of the Board in Korean
Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Dr. Sun received an award for
his contributions to Health Industry Technology from Ministry of Health and
Welfare in 2008 and a National Medal for Presentation Order from the Korean
Government in 2013. He is also a cardiovascular surgeon who serves as a
professor at Korea University. The main scientific publications he has written
or participated in include: Transparent and Flexible Force Sensor Array Based
on Optical Waveguide (2012, Optic Express), A Durability Study of a
Paracorporeal Pulsatile Electro-Mechanical Pneumatic Biventricular Assist
Device (2011, Artificial Organs), Hemodynamic Energy Changes After
Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in an Aortic Cross-Clamped Rabbit Model (2010,
ASAIOJ), and Korean Artificial Heart (Any Heart)—An Experimental Study and the
First Human Application—(2003, Artificial Organs)