2024

Greetings to all,

I am deeply honored and privileged to be a part of the 11th PPTC meeting as the president of the Korean Society of Traumatology.

I want to welcome and express my sincere gratitude to all of the participants and invited speakers gathered together for the success of this great meeting. For the past 12 years the Korean Ministry of Health and welfare has been putting a lot of energy and resources to develop level 1 trauma centers around the country. The Korean Society of Traumatology has been the main counterpart in this endeavor. This collective effort has resulted in tangible improvement in terms of preventable death rate. Trauma teams that have been established at those level one trauma centers are the core value proposition of this project as well.

We all know that managing polytraumatized and critically ill patients needs multidisciplinary teamwork in a very urgent manner. That’s why we have been emphasizing the importance of teamwork throughout the history of our society. It’s impossible to develop teamwork, unless we understand the perspectives of team members with different subspecialties. This mutual understanding eventually will lead us to have a mutual respect as professionals and even as human beings.

So, we will be emphasizing the importance of teamwork again throughout this conference and the scientific program reflects this philosophy very well.

I strongly hope that all of us would actively get connected and learn about each other through scientific programs and social events.

Thank you very much !

Jong-Keon OH, MD.
President, Korean Society of Traumatology

Dear Colleagues

It is a great honor for the Korean Society of Traumatology to host this PPTC 2024. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Armed Forces Medical Command for their continued partnership since the first PPTC was held in 2013.

Since the first designation of regional trauma center by Korean Government in 2012, the preventable death rate has been steadily decreasing. On the other hand, the quality of trauma care has improved dramatically compared to the beginning. I believe that the Korean Society of Traumatology has played a central role in this progress.

It is important for trauma patients to be treated by a team of many other clinical departments, not just only one. In the same vein, the Korean Society of traumatology is different from other general societies in that it is a gathering of various clinical departments that treat severely injured trauma patients. Through this gathering, I hope that you will not only gain the latest knowledge but also upgrade your team approach to treating trauma patients.

To this end, we have organized an excellent multidisciplinary program. I hope that you will actively participate in the conference and engage in discussions. I also hope that this will be a time for socializing. I know that each of you has been working hard to treat patients, so I hope that this will be an opportunity to make friends with good people and understand each other.

Thank you.

Hang Joo CHO, M.D.
Chairman of the Board of Directors,
The Korean Society of Traumatology

It is my great honor/pleasure to meet you with the members of the Korean Society of Traumatology.
This is Brigadier General Beomman HA, the Commanding General of ROK　Armed Forces Medical Command.

First and foremost, I sincerely express my deepest gratitude and respect to all the medical professionals who are dedicating themselves for safeguarding the lives and safety of our citizens across the nation. Furthermore, I would like to mention the contributors including organizers, trauma experts, and scholars who prepared insightful presentations and discussions for the "11th Pan-Pacific Trauma Congress"

For the past 40 years, the Korean Society of Traumatology has served as the cornerstone of trauma system development in Korea. The Society has achieved remarkable accomplishments, both academically and in terms of policy, by organizing international academic conferences, conducting research on critical trauma patient care, and raising awareness of the importance of trauma patient care.

Under the goal of providing the best possible service to out wounded soldiers, the ROK Armed Forces, has established a "unified support system" that includes the entire process of "evacuation, treatment, and rehabilitation." We also strive to take our efforts to the next level by building a world-class "future-oriented integrated control system" which utilizes military medical evacuation helicopters and AI technology. Furthermore, we have gradually expanded the scope of trauma care by establishing an organic collaboration system with relevant organizations and civilian medical institutions. As a result it was able to contribute to the advancement of the domestic trauma system.

For eleven years, the Pan-Pacific Trauma Congress, has served as a valuable foundation for the advancement of trauma medicine. Specialized institutions and numerous trauma experts throughout the nation have been sharing their experiences such as latest research and best cases. Hence, our congress became the major event of the Korean trauma field. I am fully confident that the Congress will continue to play a vital role in shaping the blueprint for the Republic of Korea's trauma system. While providing inspiration and wisdom to achieve this vision, it has served as an opportunity for future leaders to cooperate and collaborate.

Once again, I appreciate all participants for their

Brigadier General Beomman HA
Commanding General of Republic of Korea Armed Forces Medical Command