2026

Greetings to All,

It is my great honor to welcome you to the 13th Pan-Pacific Trauma Congress (PPTC) 2026, held in Busan and hosted together with the 41st Annual Meeting of the Korean Society of Traumatology (KST), and the 8th Korean Association for Nurses of Trauma Symposium.

As we look beyond the 40th anniversary of our Society celebrated last year, we now stand at an important moment of transition—reflecting on the progress achieved over the past four decades and preparing for the next chapter of trauma care in Korea and the Pan-Pacific region. The Korean Society of Traumatology has grown from a small group of passionate clinicians into a leading academic body that has played a central role in establishing regional trauma centers, improving national policy, advancing clinical guidelines, and raising public awareness of trauma care.

Trauma care, by its nature, demands close collaboration among diverse specialists who work together under urgent and challenging circumstances. PPTC has served as a unique platform for strengthening this multidisciplinary cooperation, bringing together experts from military and civilian sectors, from Korea and abroad, to share experiences and develop better strategies for trauma treatment.

I sincerely hope that PPTC 2026 will once again offer meaningful opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and inspire new approaches that will shape the future of trauma systems. Your participation and contributions are invaluable as we continue our shared mission to save lives and advance trauma care.

Thank you for joining us in Busan.

Yeongdae Kim, M.D.
President
The Korean Society of Traumatology

Dear Colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 13th Pan-Pacific Trauma Congress (PPTC) 2026. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Medical Command, our trusted partner in co-hosting PPTC since 2013.

As we enter the 41st year of the Korean Society of Traumatology, our Society continues its mission of advancing trauma care in Korea through academic leadership, training programs, policy development, and strong collaboration with related organizations. Over the years, the regional trauma centers, trauma specialists, and multidisciplinary care teams have contributed significantly to improving survival rates and enhancing the quality of trauma care.

PPTC has played a central role in this progress. Since its inception, the congress has grown into a premier academic platform where civilian and military trauma professionals gather to explore emerging challenges, share successful experiences, and discuss future directions of trauma systems across the Pan-Pacific region. This year’s congress will feature a comprehensive scientific program designed to promote true multidisciplinary exchange.

I encourage you to actively participate in the sessions, network with colleagues, and engage in discussions that will enrich our understanding and strengthen our collective capacity. I hope that PPTC 2026 will not only provide academic inspiration but also serve as a meaningful time to build friendships and deepen mutual respect among all participants.

Thank you once again for your dedication, and I look forward to meeting you in Busan.

Hangjoo Cho, M.D.
Chairman of the Board of Directors
The Korean Society of Traumatology

Dear Distinguished Colleagues,

It is my great honor to welcome all the attendees, including domestic and international trauma experts, who expressed their interests and paid their visit for the Pan-Pacific Trauma Congress.

PPTC is an international congress where medical personnel and experts from countries across the pan-pacific region have gathered and shared their experience and knowledge about trauma care and severe trauma management. Trauma is a challenge that we need to jointly cooperate and respond to protect lives, and PPTC has developed into a platform for continued academic exchange and cooperation based on a shared awareness of this problem.

Last year, the 12th PPTC 2025 has been held successfully with the topic of '40 Years of Leadership in Trauma Care' by sharing various field-based experiences, looking back on the progress made in trauma care, exploring civil-military cooperation in trauma patient treatment and seeking future development direction.

Based on this, the 13th PPTC 2026 will once again serve as a platform for international academic exchange where we look back on the status of trauma treatment and seek future direction. I anticipate this congress to serve as an open platform for discussion where we share the current trauma care agenda and experiences attendees are facing, including civil-military trauma experience sharing, research progress analysis, discussion of mutual response measures.

The Armed Forces Medical Command has been striving to improve the quality and system of trauma care, setting a goal for the development of future-oriented trauma care, including the development of AI- and ICT-based medical systems, establishment of integrated control system, expansion of Armed Forces Trauma Center's role through civil-military cooperation. We hope to attend this congress to share the international society our experience accumulated during these processes, and we aim to attend this congress with a learning attitude.

I hope the 13th PPTC 2026 will serve as a meaningful platform for practical cooperation and sustainable development of trauma care, and I respectfully ask for your continued interest and enthusiastic participation.

Thank you.

Brigadier General Sangho Lee
Commanding General
Republic of Korea Armed Forces Medical Command