The Korea Association of Internal Medicine (KAIM) is founded in December 1945 with fifty members, and is now boasting 15,697 members. In 1952, it produced four internal medicine-specialized doctors for the first time, and by 2011, 13,236 physicians have been turned out. Also, from 1992 onward, internal-medicine divisional specialist system has been introduced, and about 4,676 divisional medical specialists are practicing in nine different divisions.

The association published the inaugural issue of the Korean Journal of Internal Medicine, a Korean-language journal, in 1949, which is now being published monthly, and the English version of the journal is being published on a quarterly basis. The English journal was registered in the Index Medicus in 1994, and is pending register for SCI.

KAIM is playing central role of general internal medicine, and has organic relationship with divisional associations. The association will continue to work on prevention of disease, improvement of health, management and arbitration of medical activities, establishment of internal medical institution and structure, understanding of psychological aspect of disease and building relationship between doctors and patients.

KAIM became member society of the International Society of Internal Medicine in 2002, and it succeeded to organize the 32nd World Congress of Internal Medicine of 2014 in Seoul, at the 29th WCIM in Buenos Aires. Also, I am pleased and honored to be elected to ISIM Executive Committee as the chair. KAIM is actively preparing and promoting the event through WCIM organization committee, and is doing its best for successful organization of the WCIM 2014.


Thank you.

Chairperson of Korea Association of Internal Medicine,
Moon Won Kang