It is my profound honor to serve as the first President elected through a fair and unified consensus of all council and advisory board members of the KASL. I am deeply grateful for this privilege and keenly aware of the tremendous responsibility to develop our association into a prestigious organization that meets international standards.

Over the past 30 years, the KASL has achieved remarkable growth in academic research capabilities and international scholarly exchange, thanks to the dedication and passion of our members, and we have now reached a standing where our internal capabilities place us among the world’s leading liver associations. However, we still face the pressing challenges of strengthening our domestic policymaking capabilities and enhancing our global leadership.

To achieve these goals, fairness, transparency, and procedural integrity in the association’s operations must be established above all else. This is an imperative of our times that no one can deny, and an essential condition for the global advancement of the younger generation who will lead the future of our association.

The 17th Board of Directors is committed to strictly upholding the association’s bylaws, which serve as our “constitution.” Customary practices will be followed only as exceptions when no bylaws or guidelines exist, and even in such cases, we will promptly establish guidelines to ensure institutional legitimacy. Furthermore, we will implement clear institutional mechanisms and procedural controls to ensure that the association is never exploited for personal gain.

All of these initiatives will be carried out through democratic processes and open communication that values the voices of our members. I am delighted to share that, through earnest and persistent efforts, I have been able to bring together distinguished colleagues of exceptional competence and integrity to serve with me as the incoming Board of Directors. While our association is blessed with many outstanding individuals, it is regrettable that we were unable to invite all of them to join us.

I kindly ask for your continued support and participation as we embark on this journey toward the association’s grand advancement.

Thank you.