Korea to host the 2026 World Hospital Congress for another leap of ‘K-Health’ < Hospital < Article

The World Hospital Congress, hosted by the International Hospital Federation (IHF), will be held in Korea next year.

The Korean Hospital Association, the event’s organizer, called it “an important opportunity for the Korean healthcare industry to take another leap.” The World Hospital Congress will be held from Oct. 19 to 22, 2026, at Coex Magok Convention Center in western Seoul.

Lee Wang-jun, vice chairman of the KHA, remarked at a news conference on Wednesday to confirm Korea’s hosting of the 49th IHF World Hospital Congress at the association’s conference center in Seoul. Lee is a member of the IHF Steering Committee and serves as the chairperson of a special committee member for organizing the Korea Healthcare Congress (KHC).

Lee said that foreign countries are very interested in Korea’s medical turmoil caused by the medical school enrollment quota increase.

“They are surprised that 13,000 trainee doctors disappeared from hospitals almost simultaneously, and they also notice that the hospital system is still operating,” Lee said. “Most of all, they think it could become an issue for themselves, too.”

“Worldwide, the inequality in access to essential healthcare is becoming a serious issue. How to manage the medical workforce has become a universal issue. Hence, foreigners are very sympathetic to the Korean situation,” Lee said. “I think they could benchmark Korea as a point of reference.”

The IHF annually holds the World Hospital Congress to discuss hospital management innovations and healthcare trends. This is the second time Korea has hosted the World Hospital Congress since 2007. After competing with Hong Kong and Singapore, the IHF Steering Committee selected Korea in a final vote last December.

In recent years, the number of attendees from Asian countries has significantly increased, and the 2026 World Hospital Congress is expected to attract the largest number of participants ever. More than 2,000 healthcare professionals from 90 countries will attend the congress.

KHA expects it to serve as an opportunity to promote the global competitiveness of Korean hospitals and the healthcare industry and to advance Korean medical technology and the digital healthcare industry into the international market. To this end, the association will provide various networking and collaboration opportunities with global hospital leaders by, for instance, encouraging them to visit Korean hospitals and healthcare-related companies.

It will also operate the “Korean Pavilion,” which showcases Korean digital healthcare technologies, to promote Korean medical institutions and companies. The Korean Pavilion will provide customized promotional opportunities for Korean hospitals and healthcare-related companies to showcase Korean medical innovation to the world. It also will provide experience opportunities to enjoy traditional and modern “K-Culture” attractions during the World Hospital Congress.

“Hosting the IHF World Hospital Congress in Seoul will be a venue for academic exchanges and a great opportunity to showcase the innovative achievements of Korean hospitals and the advanced healthcare system to the world,” said Park Seung-il, another vice chairman of the KHA who also heads its Academic Committee. “It will be an opportunity for Korea to deepen its cooperation with the global healthcare community and establish a leading position in the future healthcare environment.”