Gyeonggi Province Healthcare Delegation Builds Medical Cooperation with Kazakhstan

Gyeonggi Province's healthcare delegation, working to expand the wave of Korean medical hallyu across Central Asia, completed visits to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan from the 22nd to the 26th and has returned home.

The medical delegation included a total of 25 participants, comprising eight hospitals in the province—Ajou University, Myongji, Sejong, St. Vincent, Soonchunhyang Bucheon, Ichunchuk, OK Aims, and Apple Tree Dental Hospitals—as well as officials from Gyeonggi Province's Department of Health and Welfare.

Gyeonggi Province stated that this visit achieved significant results in establishing a venue for substantive healthcare exchange with Kazakhstan.

On the 24th, the province held a Korea-Kazakhstan Healthcare Policy Conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, attended by Deputy Minister of Health A. Bayzhunusov and key officials from the Ministry of Health, as well as Ambassador to Kazakhstan Song Geum-young, the head of Gyeonggi Province's Department of Health and Welfare, Professor Jeon Ki-hong from Ajou University Medical Center, and Center Director Shin Gyou-tae from the International Medical Center.

At the conference, Gyeonggi Province presented on South Korea's healthcare status, major health policies, and comparative analysis of both countries' medical systems, as well as measures for healthcare development in both nations. Deputy Minister Bayzhunusov briefed on Kazakhstan's overall medical situation, medical reform plans, and discussed cooperation measures.

Additionally, a cooperation framework was established with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education and Science. On the 24th, the delegation visited the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan and signed a business agreement to ensure that Kazakhstan's government-funded training programs continue to be conducted at hospitals in Gyeonggi Province.

Furthermore, on the 25th, the province held a Korea-Kazakhstan Medical Network event in Almaty, Kazakhstan, attended by approximately 130 people including the eight provincial hospitals, officials from GMBC (Gyeonggi Medical Business Center), a overseas base office for Gyeonggi's medical hallyu, Kazakhstani medical personnel who received training at provincial hospitals, patients who received treatment, and Kazakhstani government officials.

Separate from the Medical Network event, Gyeonggi Province's healthcare delegation participated in the Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair (KITF) in Almaty from the 24th to the 26th, taking time to promote Gyeonggi Province's medical services.

Meanwhile, on the 23rd, the Gyeonggi Province delegation visited the Kyrgyz Republic and signed a business agreement between Soonchunhyang Bucheon Hospital and the Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Health on hospital facility construction and medical information exchange.

Kim Yong-yeon, Director of Gyeonggi Province's Department of Health and Welfare, said, "Through this visit, we were able to reconfirm the wave of Korean medical hallyu blowing across Central Asia," and added, "We plan to continuously strengthen exchanges and cooperation to expand the foundation for entry into the Central Asian medical industry."