Incheon Marks 20 Years of Medical Support for Asian Exchange Cities... 175 Children Treated

Cooperation with Hospitals and Private Organizations
6,792 Patients Treated Locally

Incheon City’s medical support project for exchange regions in Asia, carried out in cooperation with hospitals and private organizations, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Over the past two decades, a total of 175 children have been given new lives through this initiative.

According to the city on July 29, it all began in 2007 when ten Vietnamese children with heart disease received free surgery at Gil Hospital. Since then, 175 patients from Cambodia, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia have received surgery and treatment at either Gil Hospital or Inha University Hospital. By hospital, Gil Hospital has treated 166 patients and Inha University Hospital has treated nine.

A significant number of those invited for treatment are children with congenital heart disease. Although timely surgery allows them to return to healthy daily lives, most cannot receive appropriate care due to poor local medical infrastructure, long surgery wait times, and economic difficulties.

Over the past 20 years, the number of patients treated by medical staff during visits to Asian exchange regions has reached 6,792. Incheon City covers airfare for child patients and their guardians, domestic transportation costs, and local treatment expenses for medical staff, while the hospitals take on the costs for surgery, treatment, and hospitalization. Private organizations and local partner agencies provide close support throughout the entire process—from selecting candidates to assisting with entry and departure procedures.

On the 27th, attendees are taking a commemorative photo at the event celebrating the complete recovery of a pediatric patient from Kyrgyzstan, held at Gil Hospital. 2026.7.27 Photo by Incheon City

The first medical support project site of the year was Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In May, Gil Hospital’s medical staff examined 55 children with heart disease in the region, and based on the severity of the condition and prospects for post-surgery recovery, four were selected as invitees for treatment in Korea.

A group of nine, including the children, their guardians, and local escorts, arrived in Korea on July 9 and received surgery and treatment at Gil Hospital. On July 27, the city held a recovery event to encourage their new beginnings, and the children returned to their home country the next day after completing their treatment schedule.

Professor Choi Changhyu of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Gil Hospital, who performed the surgery, commented, “Since the patients’ stay in Korea is not long, we comprehensively assess each child’s condition, the feasibility of surgery, and their recovery process after surgery when selecting candidates for invitation. We find great meaning in witnessing Incheon City, medical institutions, and private organizations join forces so that these children can regain healthy lives.”

Incheon City explained that, over the past 20 years, its ongoing medical support has not only helped save children’s lives but has also built a solid foundation of trust with exchange cities in Asia, making it a key asset for achieving ‘people-centered city diplomacy.’

Park Chan-dae, Mayor of Incheon City, stated, “The medical support project for exchange cities in Asia has established itself as a sustainable model of local diplomacy based on humanitarianism. We will continue to support vulnerable medical populations in Asia, leveraging Incheon’s world-class medical capabilities and strong public-private partnerships.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.