Dear members of the Korean Society of Plastic
and Reconstructive Surgeons,

My name is Hak Chang, and I am the 29th President of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (KSPRS).
It is my pleasure to welcome you to our website.

In November 2022, PRS KOREA successfully concluded and the 29th board of directors was inaugurated. Since its establishment in 1966, KSPRS has exhibited exceptional growth and development thanks to our members' efforts. We currently have three affiliate societies (the Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, and the Yeongnam & Honam Regional Society), the Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons that represents surgeons in private hospitals, seven branches, and 18 academic associations. Our membership, consisting of approximately 2,700 plastic surgeons, is dedicated to performing their duties while maintaining close communication with each other at all levels of society.

One of our prominent academic events, the Research and Reconstruction Forum (R & R Forum), is held in local areas in the spring, and PRS KOREA, an international academic conference, is held in Seoul in the fall. PRS KOREA has established itself as a globally recognized conference. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have continued to foster academic exchange among members through the use of webinars and other online conferences.

The KSPRS has not limited its activities to just within Korea, but has also expanded internationally through MOUs with organizations in seven countries, including the US, Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey. Archives of Plastic Surgery (APS), the official journal of KSPRS, has published all its articles in English since 2012 and is currently the official journal of the Hong Kong Society of Plastic and Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, the Indonesian Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, the Singapore Association of Plastic Surgeons, and the Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Thailand. It is a top-tier surgical journal in Asia and we believe that it will become a SCIE journal in the near future with the continuing efforts of the editorial board and the support of our members.

Plastic surgery is a relatively new surgical field and therefore does not have a specific organ like other medical departments. We have contributed to the promotion of human health through reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery for the entire body. We have a particular interest and expertise in wound management, allowing us to create scars that are almost invisible to others. Rehabilitation surgery, which involves the use of tissue and flap grafts to repair tissue deformities or defects in various parts of the body, is the foundation of plastic surgery. By adding an aesthetic element, it has evolved into aesthetic plastic surgery, which focuses on improving patients' appearance. I am proud that we have brought aesthetic plastic surgery to a world-class level. In order to become a plastic surgery society that trains specialists with the necessary knowledge, skills, and ethical standards, we must prioritize the quality of resident training and produce trustworthy plastic surgeons who can effectively manage patients' vital conditions.

During my two-year tenure, I will work in harmony and communication with my esteemed board members to pursue major projects such as reestablishing the role of plastic surgery, maintaining a balanced level of internationalization, reorganizing the training environment to educate residents and produce superior specialists, proposing guidelines for safe aesthetic plastic surgery, and increasing transparency through the establishment of a new corporation. I will do my best to strengthen our internal foundation and, as a representative of Asia, become a leader in the global plastic surgery field.

Thank you.

Hak Chang President of KSPRS