Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital

Chairman Dai-Won Yoon of Ilsong Educational Foundation (Hallym University and Hallym University Medical Center) has been awarded the Linnaeus Medal in gold for 2020 from Uppsala University, Sweden.

The Linnaeus Medal was instituted in May 2006 to honor the Tercentenary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus, the world-famous Swedish botanist. The gold medal is conferred for “truly outstanding scientific achievement in the Linnaean subject areas,” according to the Uppsala University website. It was previously awarded to HM King Carl XVI Gustav, Kofi Annan, Noam Chomsky, and several Nobel laureates such as Bengt Samuelsson (Nobel laureate 1982, prostaglandins), James Watson (Nobel laureate 1962), Elinor Ostrom (Nobel laureate 2009, economics) and Michel Mayor (Nobel laureate 2019).

Chairman Yoon was recognized for his contributions in promoting collaborations now just between the two educational institutions but also Korea and Sweden in various scientific and academic fields. It was more meaningful that Chairman Yoon is the first Korean who received the Linnaeus medal.

President Eva Åkesson of Uppsala University said in her congratulation letter, “Dr. Dai-Won Yoon, a surgeon, receives the medal for his great achievements in promoting collaboration between Uppsala University and Hallym University.” And added, “He has driven the cooperation forward with untiring energy ever since the first contacts were established in 2007.”

Hallym's collaboration with Uppsala University dates back to February, 2008, when Hallym medical delegates including Chairman Yoon first visited Uppsala to tap the possibility of launching and promoting academic exchange initiatives. The two institutions maintain very cooperative partnership in medicine through faculty/student exchange, joint research, and annual academic symposiums so far.

By Jonghun Im, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (imjonghun@hallym.or.kr)