Professor KANG Seok-hwi (Department of Internal Medicine) wins Grand Prize at the 2024 W Songwon Researcher Awards

Director WOO Sang-hyeon of W Hospital promised to donate KRW 20 million every year YU College of Medicine for 10 years

Donation fund supports the W Songwon Researcher Award program

[January 21, 2025]

<From left: KIM Sung-ho (Dean of YU College of Medicine), WOO Sang-hyeon (Director of W Hospital), Professor KANG Seok-hwi, Professor CHOI Hyung-chul, Professor JEONG Seung-min>

 Yeungnam University (President CHOI Oe-chool) successfully held the 2024 W Songwon Researcher Award Ceremony on January 14 at the College of Medicine dean’s office.

 The W Songwon Foundation was established by WOO Sang-hyeon, Director of W Hospital, a Ministry of Health and Welfare-designated specialized hospital for joint and microsurgery in Daegu-Gyeongbuk. The foundation was named after WOO’s late father, Professor WOO Bok-won of Daegu University, who went by the pen name Songwon.

 Through the W Songwon Foundation, Director Woo has pledged an annual donation of KRW 20 million for 10 years, totaling KRW 200 million, to support research at YU College of Medicine. These funds are allocated to the W Songwon Researcher Award to recognize outstanding medical research achievements.

 Now in its third year, this year’s Grand Prize was awarded to Professor KANG Seok-hwi (Department of Internal Medicine). Professors CHOI Hyung-chul (Department of Pharmacology) and JEONG Seung-min (Department of Internal Medicine) received Excellence Awards. The recipients were granted KRW 10 million for the Grand Prize and KRW 5 million each for the Excellence Awards.

 Director WOO Sang-hyeon stated, “Over the past year, the medical community has faced challenges such as strikes and disruptions. I hope this award serves as a source of encouragement and support for faculty, alumni, and students.”

Dean KIM Sung-ho of YU College of Medicine expressed gratitude, saying, “Despite W Hospital’s ongoing expansion efforts, Director WOO has remained committed to supporting medical research and his alma mater. The W Songwon Fund plays a crucial role in maintaining YU’s leadership in medical research. We will continue to uphold this noble vision, contributing to human health and the advancement of medical science.”