- Date2026-08-31
HIRA Successfully Hosts 2026 International Symposium
Experts discuss innovation in healthcare systems, policy, and practice in an era of AI transformation
The Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA), led by President Hong Seung-kwon, successfully hosted its 2026 International Symposium at the Ambassador Seoul – A Pullman Hotel on Friday, the 28th, under the theme “AI Transformation: Shaping the Future of Healthcare Innovation—Reimagining Systems, Policy, and Practice.”
The symposium brought together approximately 300 participants, including speakers from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and four countries, including Denmark, healthcare experts from Korea and abroad, and interested members of the public. It provided a platform to explore the future direction of healthcare systems and policy in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), share examples of innovation in clinical practice, and discuss pathways to future healthcare innovation.
In the keynote addresses, Eric Sutherland, Senior Health Economist at the OECD, outlined how AI can be scaled up safely in healthcare. Professor Kim Jun-ha of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) then discussed ways to harness medical AI to advance trustworthy healthcare innovation.
In the session that followed, Stephen Duckett, Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne, Australia, examined policy and oversight challenges associated with integrating medical AI into established healthcare systems. Professor Park Rae-woong of Ajou University then presented directions for AI-driven healthcare innovation.
Claus Møldrup, Director of Data Analytics at the Danish Medicines Agency (DKMA), shared insights into the use of AI in European Union (EU) healthcare regulatory processes. The session concluded with a presentation by Lian-Yu Chen, Director-General of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA), on the use of digital technologies in Taiwan’s national health insurance system.
A subsequent panel discussion was moderated by Professor Kim Ju-han of Seoul National University. Experts from various fields, including Park Jeong-hwan, Director of the Medical AI and Data Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explored examples of innovation in healthcare practice across countries and examined the challenges of ensuring the safe and trustworthy use of AI.
“As AI drives a profound transformation, this symposium offered a meaningful opportunity to explore the future of healthcare together and share perspectives on innovation in systems, policy, and practice,” said HIRA President Hong Seung-kwon. “The discussions we have had with experts from Korea and around the world will serve as a valuable milestone in advancing healthcare innovation.”
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