SNUBH Professor Kim elected chair of infectious disease society

Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) said Friday that Professor Kim Hong-bin of the Department of Infectious Diseases has been elected as the next chairperson of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases (KSID) at the Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy (KSAT).

Since its founding in 1961, KSID has led the academic development of infectious diseases at home and abroad, the development of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment methods for infectious diseases, and the establishment of policies.

It has recently played a pivotal role in various fields, including recruiting infectious disease experts, managing the appropriate use of antibiotics, and treating multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Professor Kim, a world-renowned infectious disease specialist, served as the KDIS chairperson for two years from 2026. Kim was the first Korean fellow of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the editorial board member of the official journal of the SHEA, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Healthcare Epidemiology, and a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

Kim has played a key role in national infection control during epidemics, including MERS and Covid-19. In 2016, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his role in preventing the spread of MERS. He was recently appointed as a member of WHO STAG-AMR, the World Health Organization's advisory body on antimicrobial resistance, to help shape a global response to what has been called the “silent pandemic” of antimicrobial resistance.

“There are many issues that need to be prepared with more vigilance and speed, such as antibiotic resistance, which is becoming a serious healthcare problem worldwide, unknown infectious diseases that will follow Covid-19, and severe infectious diseases, including sepsis,” Professor Kim said. “The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases will take the initiative to devise solutions and make efforts to be reflected in policies.”