Hallym University Medical Center announced that Lee Jae-joon, former president of Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, assumed office as the medical center's 21st president on Sept. 1. His term runs through Aug. 31, 2028.
The medical center oversees five affiliated institutions: Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province; Sacred Heart Hospital in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province; Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital and Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul; and Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.
Lee graduated from Hallym University College of Medicine in 2000, earning a master's degree from its graduate school and a doctorate in anesthesiology and pain medicine from Kangwon National University Graduate School.
As an anesthesiology and pain medicine professor, Lee served as president of Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital for a decade starting in 2016. During his tenure, he advanced the hospital's clinical and research competitiveness under the guiding principles of a "patient-centered hospital," a "research-driven hospital," and a "workplace where employees thrive." Centered on its Regional Emergency Medical Center—first designated in 2016 and successfully redesignated three times—he established a robust critical care system, anchoring the hospital as a vital emergency care hub in Gangwon’s Yeongseo region.
Driven by his conviction that "the future of hospitals lies in research," Lee launched a clinical scientist incubation program in 2017 and established the New Frontier Research Institute in 2018 to spearhead future medicine initiatives in artificial intelligence, genomics, and big data. Under his leadership, the hospital secured numerous national R&D grants, including the pan-ministerial full-cycle medical device R&D project, research-driven hospital cultivation initiatives, and innovative future-medicine research center grants. Since 2017, he has attracted 21 national research grants totaling approximately 34.6 billion won, yielding 136 international SCI(E) papers, 123 intellectual property filings, and six commercialization outcomes. Technologies developed by the institute include an AI preterm birth prediction model, an AI-assisted gastroscopy diagnostic device, and a remote collaborative care platform for cerebral hemorrhages.
In 2025, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital achieved a historic milestone as the first medical institution in Gangwon Province selected by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as a certified research-driven hospital in the first cohort. Furthermore, Hallym University Medical Center ranked 8th nationwide and 420th globally in the medical category of the Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders, maintaining a spot in the domestic top 10 for three consecutive years. In recognition of these accomplishments, the New Frontier Research Institute won the medical category at the 18th Ilsong Award in 2025.
Since 2023, Lee has also directed the Hallym University Medical and Bio Convergence Research Institute, bridging clinical and academic research across affiliated hospitals and the university. Beginning in 2025, he expanded international research partnerships with institutions such as the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan). Alongside his new role as medical center president, Lee will concurrently serve as vice president for medical affairs at Hallym University.
"I will bring together the collective strengths of our five affiliated hospitals to foster deeper collaboration and synergy across clinical care, research, and education," Lee stated.
