Yang Han-kwang Becomes First Korean Surgeon to Earn Honors from All Three Major Surgical Societies

[Financial News] Yang Han-kwang, director of the National Cancer Center, has become the first Korean surgeon to receive honorary distinctions from all three major surgical societies in the world.
The National Cancer Center said on the 29th that its director, Yang Han-kwang, had been selected as an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Yang received the Honorary Fellow distinction at ACS Clinical Congress 2026, held on the 26th local time at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Unlike regular Fellows, who earn their status through the standard membership process, an ACS Honorary Fellow is an honorary distinction conferred on a world-renowned surgeon who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of surgery. Candidates cannot apply or nominate themselves; they are selected following recommendations from leading scholars of the society and multiple rounds of review and voting. The ACS has selected Honorary Fellows since 1913. This year, eight surgeons working in Europe, Asia, North America and other regions were inducted, including Yang.
In April 2016, Yang was simultaneously inducted as an honorary member of the American Surgical Association (ASA) and the European Surgical Association (ESA). The National Cancer Center explained that his latest selection made him the first Korean surgeon to receive honorary distinctions from all three major societies—the ASA, ESA and ACS.
Yang is regarded as a leading international expert in gastric cancer surgery. He spearheaded the establishment of the Korean multicenter laparoscopic gastric cancer study (KLASS) platform, demonstrating the oncological safety of minimally invasive gastrectomy using laparoscopic and robotic techniques through large-scale clinical trials. The research helped change global guidelines for gastric cancer treatment. He also led the standardization of function-preserving gastrectomy and fluorescence-guided precision surgery. As secretary-general of the International Gastric Cancer Association (IGCA), among other roles, he has led multinational collaborative research and educational programs spanning East and West.
The National Cancer Center recently received an A grade for the third consecutive year, ranking first among public medical institutions in the evaluation of public institution management performance. It also received the highest rating in the Board of Audit and Inspection's evaluation of internal audit activities.
Yang said, "This induction goes beyond a personal honor; it is recognition that Korean surgery has reached the highest level in the world. It was possible because of the dedication of everyone at the National Cancer Center." He added, "As the nation's central institution for cancer control, I will fulfill my responsibilities and lead efforts to showcase Korea's outstanding medical capabilities to the world."


[email protected] Jung Myung-jin, medical correspondent Reporter