Dongguk University Gyeongju Hospital received a Presidential Commendation after successfully ensuring medical safety during the 2025 APEC Summit held in Gyeongju, South Korea, according to a statement released by the hospital on February 13, 2026.
The hospital significantly expanded its emergency medical infrastructure and bolstered its specialist personnel and equipment in preparation for the summit, playing a central role in providing medical support for the international event. Prior to the summit, the hospital expanded its emergency room to a level comparable to a regional trauma center and established a VIP ward, according to reports from NSP Communications and Medworld News.
The expansion included the introduction of advanced medical equipment, such as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machines, to enhance its ability to respond to critically ill patients. The hospital increased the number of emergency medicine specialists from eight to twelve and added cardiovascular specialists, as well as operating a team of perfusionists and English-speaking coordinating nurses, to create a medical system suited for an international event.
To facilitate care for foreign patients, the hospital implemented a 38-nation interpretation system and a fast-track treatment system, improving the speed and convenience of medical services. During the APEC summit, the hospital provided precise examinations and emergency treatment to numerous patients, and successfully contained potential outbreaks of infectious diseases through rapid treatment and isolation measures, according to the hospital’s statement.
Prior to the summit, South Korea’s Minister of Health and Welfare, Jeong Eun-kyeong, visited both the HICO convention center and Dongguk University Gyeongju Hospital in October 2025 to assess the emergency medical preparedness, emphasizing the importance of a flawlessly functioning emergency medical system for the success of the summit.
The hospital was one of 29 medical institutions designated as cooperating hospitals – including facilities in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Busan, Ulsan, Daegu, and the Seoul metropolitan area – to provide rapid transport and treatment for emergency patients. The hospital received a commendation from the Gyeongju Provincial Governor, while hospital president Shin Hye-gyeong received the Presidential Commendation. Numerous staff members also received awards from the Gyeongju Provincial Governor, the Mayor of Gyeongju, and the Chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
