Professor CHOUNG Pill Hoon of SNU's School of Dentistry spent this summer vacation far busier than during the regular semester preparing for his usual overseas volunteer work.

CHOUNG, currently chair of the Korean Association of Research and Charity for Craniofacial Deformity (KARC, http://www.goodface.net/), has already dedicated the past ten years to providing surgical treatment to underprivileged cleft lip child patients abroad.

"Overseas medical volunteer work is also a field of competition in which teams from developed countries take part. Just like companies competing in the global market. We need to provide a more sophisticated, higher quality service," said CHOUNG.

He does not forget to pack gifts for the local children along with medical supplies and surgical equipment every time he sets out.

Including Professor CHOUNG, a total of 12 people flew to Baguio City in the Philippines, where they stayed from August 19 to 28. Since 2002,

KARC has visited ten countries -- Pakistan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, and Kyrgyzstan -- and treated 617 children. The figure rises to 798 when including Korean cleft lip patients.

KARC was once funded by major companies such as LG Electronics and POSCO but it now depends on members' own financial support.

It was 1998 when Professor CHOUNG started an art club at SNU's College of Dentistry, which eventually led him to doing this volunteer work.

The regular meetings with his students for drawing and painting soon evolved into a group of people providing free surgery to those with craniofacial deformities.

CHOUNG said,"Korea's surgical history in facial deformities is comparatively old. My teacher, Professor NAM Il Woo, traveled all around the country in the 1970s to cure patients with the government's support. I was luckily able to accompany him when I was an undergraduate."

KARC was established in 2002 out of the recognition that cumulated data was necessary for more effective management of patients.

When KARC's activities became known, the Smile Loving Association (http://www.kosdaqca.or.kr/Front/miso/info.asp) also joined in the effort in the same noble spirit in 2007.

The Association is a volunteer work organization founded in 2006 by the KOSDAQ Listed Companies Association (KOSDAQCA), the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), and the Actors/Actresses Society of KBS (Korean Broadcasting System).
"Medical volunteer work is a highly appreciated form of talent donation,"said Professor CHOUNG. He added that large companies should pay more attention to establishing partnerships with skilled medical volunteers as a strategy to entering overseas markets.

Written by LEE Ye Ha, SNU English Editor, gabrielle@snu.ac.kr  ?
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com