Progress in Korean Spinal Neurosurgery

Around the end of World WarII, spinal surgery was only conducted in Korea by a small number of surgeons who were affiliated with the Department of General Surgery at university hospitals. At that time, the practice of, and knowledge in, neurosurgery in Korea was in its infancy. Neurosurgery began to develop in earnest in Korea during the Korean War, which broke out in 1950. Korean surgeons gained experience in advanced neurosurgical concepts and techniques by working with US MASH units. In 1957, the neurosurgical residency training programs were introduced into the Korean medical system. Currently, 385 residents are in training across 83 training institutions. The Korean Neurosurgical Society(KNS), established in March 1961, organizes and holds two separate annual scientific meetings every year. In 2007, the KNS successfully invited the 2013 World Federation Neurosurgical Society(WFNS)to Seoul, signifying that the Korean Neurosurgical Society has an important role to play in the worldwide development and advancement of neurosurgery and the opportunity to participate more actively in the activities of the WFNS.