The autobiography “Mighty Doctor” by the late Yoon Dai-won, chairman of Ilsong Educational Foundation, who contributed to the advancement of healthcare and dedicated himself to helping the vulnerable, was published on July 23.
Dr. Yoon, also known as Doheon, succeeded his father, the late Yoon Deok-sun, founder of the foundation, becoming the second chairman in 1989. Over 35 years, he led and expanded Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University, Hallym Polytechnic University, Hallym University of Graduate Studies, and six welfare centers.
The title “Mighty Doctor” symbolizes the aspirational values for all physicians.
The autobiography covers his life from childhood to age 79, detailing his challenging early years during wartime, his fascination with life sciences sparked by a biological research group, his struggles to save lives as a surgeon, and his work in establishing hospitals and managing universities and welfare centers.
Notably, the book includes previously untold stories such as his time known as a renowned doctor on Deokjeokdo Island, his experiences with hepatitis, liver cancer diagnosis, and the process leading to a liver transplant. The book highlights his perseverance and commitment in overcoming adversity.
Mark Hardy, director emeritus of the transplant center at Columbia University Medical Center, who collaborated with Yoon on medical academic partnerships, remarked, “Chairman Yoon contributed to the advancement of cutting-edge medicine and served at the highest level for humanity by aiding underserved countries.” Robert Kelly, president emeritus of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, said, “He is one of the most inspiring individuals I’ve ever met, leading seemingly impossible ventures with bold vision and bringing everyone along.”
◇ A profound respect for life inspired by biological collecting group
Recalling his middle school days, Yoon wrote, “As a member of a biological collecting group, I explored various plants nationwide.” He fondly remembered spending most of his time in a small garden in front of his house, observing the growth of life in the soil, which he described as immensely satisfying. He reflected, “Anyone who saw me then would have thought, ‘He’s a born farmer.’”
His aunt advised him, “With your dedication to plants and trees, a life spent healing and helping people could be fulfilling.” Although he once dreamed of becoming a farmer due to his love of nature, he was persuaded by his aunt to pursue medical studies, eventually becoming a surgeon.
◇ Caring for tuberculosis patients and performing emergency surgeries in challenging conditions
Yoon also recounted his vivid experiences during his second year as a resident when he volunteered for a difficult assignment on Deokjeokdo, a remote island off the west coast of Incheon. The island’s poor medical conditions made it a place many residents avoided. Despite a lack of basic supplies like gauze, intravenous fluids, and blood for transfusions, he fought to save lives.
He recalled his visits to tuberculosis patients, saying, “When I went down to the basement, I found around twenty people living there, separated only by laundry hanging from poles. They seemed surprised that I kept my promise to visit them, as no other director had ever shown up before... Back then, tuberculosis patients lived such miserable lives without any support from the state or society,” expressing his sorrow for the patients.
He also shared stories of performing surgeries under challenging conditions for emergency patients. He recounted, “As a second-year resident, I had never performed stomach surgery before, nor had I even assisted one. The hospital at the time lacked IV fluids or blood... We had no proper surgical instruments, but we gathered a few tools that seemed useful. With the help of Rosa and two middle school students, we prepared for the surgery. I had never attempted such a surgery before, so I referred to an anatomy book as we proceeded.”
Despite these challenges, he successfully performed several surgeries, earning the nickname “the renowned doctor of Deokjeokdo.”
◇ Mastering various surgeries and achieving a national milestone with the first pancreas transplant
After returning from his assignment on Deokjeokdo, Yoon continued his relentless training as a surgeon. Reflecting on that time, he wrote, “I enjoyed my work so much that I regretted having to sleep.” He mastered various complex surgeries, including the Whipple procedure for pancreatic head cancer and esophageal replacement surgery using the colon for patients with esophageal damage from caustic ingestion.
Not content with his achievements, he pursued advanced medical training at Columbia University Medical Center in the United States. There, he focused on organ transplantation, participating in research on pancreatic islet cell xenotransplantation for diabetes treatment. “I was constantly immersed in experiments from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no time even for meals. I lost 10 kilograms in three months, which shows how hard I pushed myself,” he recalled. He also studied kidney transplantation and observed heart surgeries, which were not yet performed in Korea at the time.
Through his relentless dedication, he significantly advanced medical practice in Korea, achieving the country’s first successful pancreas transplant in 1987, marking a new possibility for diabetes treatment.
He recalled, “The most fulfilling and rewarding moments as a doctor were succeeding in kidney and pancreas transplants. Transplant surgery is often the last available treatment when no other options remain, making it crucial to be cautious and successful. It is also the ultimate goal for a physician.”
◇ A compassionate leader committed to serving the vulnerable
Reflecting on his life as a doctor, he shared, “My father was always called out for surgeries late at night or early in the morning. Growing up seeing this, I naturally assumed that was how a doctor’s life should be... The fundamental principle that a doctor should be where the patients are became ingrained in me. I believed living by this principle was a doctor’s destiny. This habit stayed with me, and I continued living this way even after becoming a doctor.”
Throughout his career, he practiced medicine with a mission to save patients at every moment. To him, medicine was not just a skill but an “art of benevolence” that safeguarded people.
Chairman Yoon, who had been providing free medical care to the underprivileged since his time as vice president of Sacred Heart Charity Hospital, continued to offer free medical services through Hallym University Medical Center and various welfare centers even after ascending to an executive position.
He explained, “Free medical treatment was not merely about temporary and simple prescriptions; with the right facilities, most treatments could be managed.” He added, “Sacred Heart Charity Hospital, as a free hospital for low-income patients, offered a glimmer of hope to the extremely poor. During times when the nation could not afford welfare or free medical services, it was the first private free hospital to assume that role. The free medical treatment program was absolutely necessary and a benevolent act that someone had to undertake.”
Moreover, he contributed to promoting social welfare based on humanitarian principles. The emergency disaster support system he initiated with a personal investment of 20 million won (approximately $14,400) for the residents of Nangok-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, even influenced government policies. The amount invested at that time became the seed money for establishing the “SOS Fund,” which laid the foundation for implementing the Emergency Welfare Support Act in 2006, providing emergency living expenses. Reflecting on that time, he said, “The outcome was significantly impactful and highly satisfying. The SOS emergency disaster relief fund, which started at Shillim Comprehensive Welfare Center, evolved into a nationwide emergency disaster relief system worth billions of won within a few years.”
◇ Persisting in burn treatment for the public good despite financial deficits
Despite deficits exceeding 10 billion won, he persistently invested in burn treatment for the public good, establishing Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital as the only burn-specialized hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare under Hallym University Medical Center.
He wrote, “The bold investment in burn treatment, which everyone avoided, was solely due to the mission to save burn patients. For whatever reason, we cannot neglect lives. Someone had to endure the hellish burn treatments. Since no one else would do it, we had to continue.”
Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital launched the Hallym Burn Foundation in 2008 to support medical expenses for burn patients from vulnerable groups. Since 2009, they have also been conducting treatment support projects for burn patients abroad. Through this project, they have provided free medical treatment to 1,105 burn patients from eight countries, conducting surgeries for 97 patients locally and inviting 57 patients to Korea for surgery.
◇ An innovative educator adapting to modern Times: Hallym University selected as a “glocal university”
He also articulated his vision as an educator in his book, pledging to break down barriers between majors to create an environment conducive to convergent talents and to actively utilize AI professors in line with the AI era.
Based on this vision, Hallym University achieved the milestone of being selected for the Ministry of Education’s “Glocal (global + local) University” project in 2023, leading the higher education model in Korea. As a result, Hallym University will receive 100 billion won (approximately $72.16 million) in support from the Ministry of Education over five years.
Introducing the main strategies outlined in the glocal university plan, he said, “In a world where new majors and convergent fields are emerging, the current closed structure cannot respond quickly to changes. Discussions and research that transcend departmental boundaries will be catalysts for innovation, such as the establishment of new majors and the emergence of convergent disciplines. Another crucial strategy is AI-based educational reform. Hallym University plans to have AI professors in charge of 20% of all courses by 2032,” presenting the future path for Hallym University.
◇ A pioneer in hospital establishment, welfare center operation, and international academic exchange
Born in 1945 in Yonggang County, South Pyongan Province, Chairman Yoon Dai-won, the eldest son of Yoon Deok-sun, the founder of Ilsong Educational Foundation, graduated from Yongsan Middle and High School and obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees in medicine from the Catholic University of Korea. He contributed to the development of medical science in Korea by successfully performing the first kidney transplant and the first pancreas transplant in Korea.
After becoming the second chairman of Ilsong Educational Foundation, he established Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital in 1999 and Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital in 2013, growing Hallym University Medical Center under Ilsong Educational Foundation into a large-scale institution with five university hospitals: Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, and Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital. Additionally, starting with the opening of the Korean Elderly Health and Medical Center in 1991, he laid the foundation for medical social welfare projects by operating the Sacred Heart Welfare Center (now Shillim Social Welfare Center), Anyang Welfare Center, Yeongdeungpo Senior Welfare Center, Hwaseong Narewul Social Welfare Center, and Dongtan Senior Welfare Center.
To elevate Hallym University Medical Center and Hallym University to a global level, he proclaimed “Mighty Hallym” in 2003, aiming to establish partnerships and enhance competitiveness with leading global groups. Under the vision of “Mighty Hallym,” he formed close medical academic partnerships with prestigious overseas universities such as NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Weill Cornell Medical College, UCLA, Uppsala University in Sweden, University of Oulu in Finland, University of Padua in Italy, Nagoya City University, and Nagasaki University in Japan. Regular international academic symposiums were held to share the latest medical theories between countries, leading to advancements in the field of medical science.
In recognition of his contributions to the development of medical science through international academic exchange, he was awarded the “Linnaeus Gold Medal,” the first in Asia, by Uppsala University in Sweden in 2020. The Linnaeus Medal, established by Uppsala University to honor the biologist Carl von Linnaeus, who first classified plants and animals, has been awarded since 2007 to individuals who have made outstanding achievements in science. Chairman Yoon was selected for the award in recognition of his contributions to research on genetic and cell therapies for intractable diseases and cancer through academic exchanges between Uppsala University, Hallym University, and Hallym University Medical Center.
He is also set to receive the Order of Civil Merit, Mugunghwa Medal, from the government in recognition of his lifelong dedication to the development of medical and university education in Korea and his domestic and international social service contributions. The Order of Civil Merit, Mugunghwa Medal, is the highest of the five classes of orders of merit. Previously, his father, Dr. Yoon Deok-sun, was awarded the same medal in 1996. With this honor, he will become the second generation in his family to receive the Mugunghwa Medal.
Following the wishes of the late Chairman Yoon Dai-won, Ilsong Educational Foundation plans to donate all proceeds from his autobiography to the Hallym Burn Foundation.
