Introduction and Establishment of Pathology in Korea (1910-1960)

Chi, Je Geun

Abstract

The concept of modern pathology had not been present in Korea until it was introduced through the Japanese pathologists who came to Korea to work as staff pathologists at (Chong-doc bu) Hospital in 1913. Two prominent Japanese pathologists at that time were Dr. Inamoto and Dr. Tokumitzu who taught pathology at Hospital affiliated Medical Institute. Department of Pathology was established at Kekjo Medical College in 1916 and at Keijo Imperial University Faculty of Medicine in 1926. In the private medical school, Severance Union Medical School, the pathology was taught by Japanese and American Physicians until Dr. Il Sun Yun established Department of Pathology in 1929. Papers on histopathological description of disease started to appear in the medical literature, Chosen Medical Journal that was first issued just after Japanese occupation of Korea in 1910. Many diseases of Koreans had been scientifically documented in medical literature since 1911 by the leading role of faculty pathologists of Keijo Medical College and Keijo Imperial University Faculty of Medicine until 1940. Korean students started to join Pathology Department of above two national medical schools since 1920. However, Professor Il Sun Yun should be the first Korean pathologist who did his best to promote pathology in Korea during the Japanese occupation and after Independence, that lasted from 1927 to 1980. He was trained at Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine in Japan and returned home to take the position of assistant professor of pathology at Keijo Imperial University Faculty of Medicine in 1927. He then became the first chaired professor of pathology at Severance Union Medical College and established a prominent Department of Pathology there. He established Korean Medical Journal in Korean language during Japanese occupation and also became the editor of the Journal that lasted for 10 years. After the end of the second world war he played a leading role in founding the Korean Society of Pathologists in 1946 and became the first president and served for 10 years until 1956. The last part of this paper summarizes all available papers of pathology published during a period of 1911 to 1945.