The Korea Institute of Materials Science(KIMS), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, and Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital signed a business agreement to establish a mutually organic cooperation system to strengthen future convergence medical technology capabilities. The two institutions held a business agreement ceremony at the main building of KIMS in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, on Thursday, July 6, promising to develop new medical technologies and improve healthcare services and pledged to do their best to strengthen cooperation.

Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital is an educational cooperation hospital with Hanyang University, which has signed an agreement with Hanyang University for joint progress in clinical, educational, and medical research. Since 2015, full-time and clinical professors from Hanyang University have directly treated patients at Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital. The hospital is equipped with a state-of-the-art medical environment based on 27 treatment centers and 33 treatment departments, including radiation tumor treatment devices, robot/hybrid operating rooms, and hyperbaric oxygen treatment devices for treating severe diseases of residents of South Gyeongsang Province.

Taking this business agreement as an opportunity, the two institutions plan to carry out the following tasks △Provision of clinical samples for joint development of in vitro diagnostic technology, evaluation of development technology, and consultation on mutual technology, △Evaluation support for demonstration of quarantine air conditioning system technology, △Network establishment and communication for future convergence medical technology development.

Jung-hwan Lee, the president of KIMS said, “We have been conducting demonstration tests with hospitals located far away, but now we can utilize the local demonstration test bed.” He also added that KIMS provides original technology, and the hospital can be a demonstration test bed; this will be a good opportunity to develop the actual local bio-materials industry and to grow regional research capabilities.”

Choong-sik Ha, chairman of the Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital, said, "As a representative hospital responsible for medical services in the Gyeongnam region, I am delighted to participate in research for the development of future convergence medical technology,”and he also mentioned, “We promise mutual exchanges and cooperation in research to contribute to the development of new medical technologies and the improvement of the quality of health care services,”