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A Record of Hope and Growth
Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital Pediatrics Department was established for the health and welfare of children and adolescents
As a leading medical and research institution in Korea, it has grown continuously over a long history.
• 1946: Runs a pediatric class during the chaotic period under the U.S. military government after liberation
• 1950: UNICEF's Special Support for Textbooks, Medical Appliances
• 1952: Pediatric operation using the current nursing dormitory, an infectious disease neighborhood, as a clinic
• 1982: The 31st Spring Festival of the Korean Academy of Pediatrics is held in Gyeongju under the supervision of the school's office
• 1995: For the first time in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, the main classroom was implemented
• 2013: Opening of a children's hospital and conducting medical treatment by pediatric and adolescent departments
The Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents is concerned with various diseases such as infectious diseases, chronic diseases, neurological diseases, growth and development problems, etc
It provides professional diagnosis and treatment, and is leading the development of innovative treatments based on the latest research.
The Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents at Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital will continue to play a role as a central organization connecting the local community and the global community.
70-Year History of the Department of Pediatrics
at Kyungpook National University School of Medicine
1946-1951
The Development and Challenges of Pediatrics After Liberation: Innovation and Recovery During a Time of Turmoil
In 1946, during the chaotic period under U.S. military rule following Korea’s liberation, Professors Jung Hong-seop and Kim Hyo-gyu took charge of running the Department of Pediatrics. Later, in 1947, Professor Kim Bong-soon joined the department but resigned in 1948. Subsequently, instructors Son Young-gyu, Kim Wi-sang, and Han Dong-seop managed the department until 1949, when Professor Choi Jung-heon was appointed. Together with Assistant Professor Han Dong-seop, he replaced Japanese-style textbooks and medical terminology with American-style medicine and English. They introduced a new educational and medical approach that combined preventive pediatrics with treatment-focused pediatrics.
Thanks to these accomplishments, the department received special support from UNICEF in 1950, including textbooks and medical equipment. However, with the outbreak of the Korean War, the university temporarily closed, and the hospital was requisitioned as a military hospital. Most students and clinical faculty members enlisted in the military, leading to the suspension of departmental operations. Furthermore, most of the medical books and equipment owned by the department were lost during this period.
1952-1959
The Growth of Pediatrics Amid War and Innovation: Progress Despite Hardships
During the war, medical students attended classes in a temporary building located on the grounds of the medical school faculty housing, with ten students per year receiving instruction in this wartime comprehensive university format. The current nursing dormitory, which was then an infectious disease ward, was used as a clinic, where Assistant Professor Han Dong-seop, along with assistants Seo Chang-seok, Kim Yoon-ja, and Heo Gyu-sook, managed the pediatrics department.
In 1956, Professor Choi Jung-heon returned to his position after being discharged from the military, and Cha Seung-man was appointed as a full-time instructor, increasing the faculty to three members. That same year, Professor Choi was awarded a CMB scholarship and underwent 14 months of training at New York Hospital, affiliated with Cornell University in the United States. Upon his return, he introduced a system of inviting external professors specializing in various fields for student lectures. He also worked to establish an independent neonatal unit separate from the obstetrics department, focusing on the specialized care and management of newborns and premature infants.
Professor Han Dong-seop actively conducted research on antibiotic-resistant staphylococci caused by the overuse of antibiotics.
1960-1971
The Development and Innovation of Pediatrics: The History of Daegu and Key Figures
In 1962, Assistant Professor Cha Seung-man retired, and Assistant Professor Ahn Du-hong was appointed. Professor Choi Jung-heon was awarded the Hwangjo Soseong Medal for his contributions in 1962 and served as the director of the School of Nursing at the medical college from 1961 to 1966. Professor Han Dong-seop served as the director of the affiliated hospital from 1965 to 1967.
In December 1967, Professor Choi Jung-heon, as a UNICEF and WHO fellow, conducted research at the Institute of Child Health, University of London, for a year on pediatric education methods and child health issues in developing countries before returning to Korea. He then focused on social pediatrics, leading to the establishment of the Daegu City Childcare Counseling Center, which became a model maternal and child health center nationwide. In 1971, he was awarded a letter of appreciation from Daegu City for his contributions.
Additionally, Professor Choi served as the president of the Korean Pediatric Society from 1970 to 1971, during which time he was involved in the establishment of the Han Ah-reum Foundation and the enactment of health laws. Assistant Professor Ahn Du-hong was promoted to associate professor and worked with Professor Han Dong-seop on research related to infectious diseases (bacteriology).
1972-1977
The Development of Pediatrics and Contribution to the Community: The Achievements of Professor Choi Jung-heon and Successor Faculty Members
In 1972, Professor Choi Jung-heon received a letter of appreciation from the Minister of Health and Social Affairs for his contributions to pediatric education and the academic community. He also established sister hospital relationships with Dong San Christian Hospital and Fatima Hospital, with external professors such as Kang Cheon-mu, Park Young-hae, Kim Su-jun, and Cha Seung-man participating in student education. Additionally, he actively engaged in community pediatric health issues, providing health and childcare consultations for local orphanages and Christian children’s associations, as well as conducting research on elementary school meal programs and growth development. His efforts contributed to the improvement of children’s health in the region.
Through these activities and research presentations, the department became a leader in maternal and child health, pediatric nutrition, and bacterial infectious disease research. In 1976, Professor Han Dong-seop retired, and Assistant Professor Koo Ji-hoon, who specialized in pediatric nephrology in the United States, was appointed. In 1977, Assistant Professor Kim Jong-hwan was also appointed for a one-year term. In August 1977, Professor Choi Jung-heon retired, and Assistant Professor Lee Sang-beom was appointed. Professor Ahn Du-hong succeeded the department chair and focused on subspecialization in various fields of pediatrics, establishing specialized clinics for pediatric nephrology, pediatric cardiology, and epilepsy.
Professor Ahn Du-hong also became the director of the affiliated hospital in 1977, where he led the introduction of EXIM and the construction of a new hospital wing. In 1978, he was elected president of the Korean Pediatric Society.
1978-1982
The Development and Innovation of Pediatrics: A New Turning Point in Research and Medical Care
In 1981, Professor Lee Geon-su was appointed and specialized in pediatric hematology and oncology, founding the Cytogenetic Lab. Pediatric outpatient care was further specialized into specific clinics, with faculty members overseeing their respective areas, leading to an increase in patient volume due to the provision of high-quality care. The faculty members in charge of each clinic were as follows: Neonatal diseases and childcare counseling: Professor Ahn Du-hong, Pediatric nephrology: Professor Koo Ji-hoon, Pediatric cardiology: Professor Lee Sang-beom, Pediatric hematology and oncology: Professor Lee Geon-su.
In 1982, the 31st Spring Meeting of the Korean Pediatric Society was held in Gyeongju, hosted by the department. Professor Ahn Du-hong was appointed dean of the medical school in 1982, while Associate Professor Koo Ji-hoon succeeded the department chair and collected data for the Illinois Project, earning an award from the Kyungpook National University Medical Alumni Association for his efforts in publishing the Kyungpook Medical University Bulletin. That same year, Assistant Professor Kim Haeng-mi was appointed and specialized in neonatology, bringing the faculty count to five.
From June 1983, Assistant Professor Lee Sang-beom underwent a year of training in pediatric cardiology at Columbia University’s Baby’s Hospital in the U.S., supported by WHO and the Kyungpook National University Medical Alumni Association. Professor Ahn Du-hong, in 1982, was invited to Japan to give a lecture on “Bacillary dysentery in Korean children.” In the same year, at the September meeting of the Asian Pediatric Society in Seoul, four presentations by the department’s professors were made, and each professor continued to actively engage in research, presenting one to two papers annually.
1988-1995
Innovation in Pediatrics and Contribution to Regional Health: Research, Medical Care, and International Achievements
In August 1988, Assistant Professor Kim Haeng-mi returned after completing a year of training in neonatology at the Children’s Hospitals of Vermont University and Ohio University. In 1989, Assistant Professor Ko Cheol-woo was appointed, expanding the faculty to six members. In March 1991, Professor Ahn Du-hong retired, and Assistant Professor Hyeon Myeong-cheol was appointed. The areas of expertise for each faculty member were as follows: Koo Ji-hoon - Pediatric nephrology, Lee Sang-beom - Pediatric cardiology, Lee Geon-su - Pediatric hematology and oncology, Kim Haeng-mi - Neonatal diseases, Ko Cheol-woo - Pediatric nephrology and endocrinology, Hyeon Myeong-cheol - Pediatric cardiology, allergies, and seizure disorders. In the same year, a 6-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) was established within the pediatric ward.
In 1993, Professor Koo Ji-hoon was elected dean of the medical school, and the team of Professors Koo Ji-hoon and Ko Cheol-woo successfully performed 50 pediatric kidney transplants, collaborating with Seoul National University and Yonsei University since 1985. Professor Lee Sang-beom, together with Assistant Professor Hyeon Myeong-cheol, began performing interventional treatments such as percutaneous balloon angioplasty (for valve and vascular stenosis), balloon septoplasty, and ductal occlusion, along with fetal echocardiography for prenatal diagnosis and treatment.
Professor Lee Geon-su, as a member of the Children’s Cancer Study Group (CCSG), provided the pediatric cancer treatment plans and results from CCSG to members of the Korean Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. In 1989, he performed Korea’s fourth bone marrow transplant surgery. Regarding international academic activities, in 1991, Professor Koo Ji-hoon presented at the China Asia Pacific Nephrology Society, Professors Lee Sang-beom and Lee Geon-su co-presented at the Asia Pacific Cardiology Society, and Assistant Professor Ko Cheol-woo presented at the American Society of Nephrology. In 1992, Professor Lee Geon-su presented at the International Hemophilia Congress in Greece, Assistant Professor Kim Haeng-mi at the Hot Topics in Neonatology in the United States, and in 1994, Professor Koo Ji-hoon presented at the International Nephrology Congress in Spain, and Assistant Professor Ko Cheol-woo presented at the American Society of Nephrology.
In 1992, Assistant Professor Ko Cheol-woo began a camp program for children with Type 1 diabetes, which has continued for 13 years, becoming the third such camp in the country, after two in Seoul. In academic activities, Professor Koo Ji-hoon served as the president of the Korean Society of Nephrology from 1994-1995, and in April 1995, was elected president of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Pediatric Society. Professor Lee Geon-su established the Kyungpook National University Hospital Cancer Research Group in 1995 and was elected its president. In February of the same year, Assistant Professor Ko Cheol-woo returned after conducting experimental research on diabetic nephropathy using glomerular epithelial cells at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, USA.
Professor Kim Haeng-mi has been serving on the academic committees of the Korean Neonatal Society since 1993 and the Korean Society of Perinatology since 1994. In December 1995, after a year of preparation, the department successfully implemented Korea’s first mother-infant room in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region.
1996-2005
The Journey of Kyungpook National University Professors Leading the Advancement of Pediatrics
The Journey of Professors Leading the Advancement of Pediatrics at Kyungpook National University
Professor Ku Ja-hoon is a renowned expert in kidney transplantation for pediatric patients with end-stage renal failure. In 2000, he was elected president of the Korean Pediatric Society, contributing significantly to the development of pediatrics in South Korea. He received several awards for his work, including the Academic Award from the Korean Society of Nephrology in 2001, the Contribution Award from the Korean Pediatric Society in 2003, and the Haknong Award in 2005. Before retiring, he dedicated himself to education, holding weekly conferences and teaching sessions. He retired in February 2004 after 29 years of service.
Professor Lee Sang-beom performed echocardiography and cardiac catheterization for children with heart disease, and introduced electrophysiological testing and catheter ablation with Associate Professor Hyun Myeong-cheol. In 1998, he became the second pediatrician in the country to successfully perform catheter-based ablation for patients with paroxysmal tachycardia. His academic activities include serving as a board member of the Korean Circulation Society, president of the Korean Pediatric Cardiology Society, and chair of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk branch of the Korean Pediatric Society.
Professor Lee Geon-soo made significant contributions to genetics and blood disorders. In 1996, he became the director of the Kyungpook National University Cancer Research Institute, where he worked on research related to umbilical cord stem cell transplantation and chromosomal testing. He played an active role in the development of the Korean Hematology Society and the Korean Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Society, serving as president of both organizations. He also held leadership roles in the Asian Hematology Society and the World Federation of Hemophilia.
Professor Kim Haeng-mi worked extensively in neonatal care, applying the latest treatments to critically ill neonates, improving survival rates, especially for premature babies and infants with retinopathy of prematurity. In 1999, she introduced Kangaroo Care in South Korea, a method that promotes bonding between premature infants and their parents. In 2004, she became the leader of a child abuse protection team, working to protect abused children.
Professor Ko Cheol-woo specialized in pediatric endocrinology and nephrology, and he has been conducting an annual camp for children with type 1 diabetes in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. His research focused on the pathogenesis of minimal change nephrotic syndrome, and he presented his experimental studies at international conferences. He was awarded the Minister of Health and Welfare’s commendation in 2002 for his contributions to managing suspected SARS cases in children.
Professor Hyun Myeong-cheol worked in pediatric arrhythmia and congenital heart disease interventions, and in 2000, he gave a lecture at the Pediatric Arrhythmia Symposium. He has been actively involved in academic activities, giving lectures on pediatric electrocardiograms and congenital heart disease at various conferences.
Professor Kwon Soon-hak, who earned his certification in pediatrics in the U.S. in 1998, specializes in pediatric neurology. He treats neurological disorders such as developmental disabilities and epilepsy, and conducts educational programs for parents. In 2004, he co-authored the book Freedom from Seizures, and has given lectures at pediatric neurology conferences in Japan and China.
Professor Choi Byeong-ho has been responsible for pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition since 1996. In 2002, he introduced pediatric endoscopy for safe diagnostic procedures in neonates and children. He successfully performed liver transplant surgeries in 2005 and continues to engage in research, having presented an outstanding poster at the North American Pediatric Gastroenterology Society conference in 2003.
These professors have played pivotal roles in the advancement of pediatrics and contributed to the development of various specialized fields in both research and clinical care.