[Sportschosun Reporter Jang Jong-ho] Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital and the Hallym Burn Foundation traveled to Mongolia to provide free surgery and treatment for burn patients.
From Aug. 24 to 28, Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital and the Hallym Burn Foundation are carrying out the '2026 Hallym Burn Foundation Mongolia Burn Medical Cooperation' at the Mongolian National Trauma Center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The visit includes seven people, including hospital director Dr. Jun Hur, medical staff from Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, the Hallym Burn Foundation, and researchers from Hallym University. The team plans to perform free surgeries and outpatient care for local burn patients, while also providing training on burn treatment for Mongolian medical staff.
Four local pediatric patients who need treatment for post-burn scar contractures will receive free surgery. Scar contracture occurs when burn scars tighten and pull on the skin, limiting movement in joints or other parts of the body. It requires specialized treatment, including surgery. The children selected for surgery have scars on the armpits, face, and hands, causing difficulties with joint movement and hand function. The local treatment is expected to reduce their functional discomfort and help them return to daily life.
The team will also hold a seminar to share experience and expertise among medical staff so that treatment can continue locally rather than ending with a one-time free clinic. The hospital plans to share its accumulated clinical experience and treatment know-how with local medical staff on topics such as early treatment of severe burns and sepsis management, surgery and wound care for severe burns, and rehabilitation and scar treatment after burns.
Until now, support for Mongolian children with burns has been carried out by covering airfare and other costs through the Seoul Dongdaemun District Council, while the Hallym Burn Foundation covered treatment expenses so they could receive surgery and care at Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital. This time, the hospital's medical team is visiting Mongolia in person to expand support by providing surgery, treatment, and staff training on site.
Local interest was also high. When the medical cooperation team arrived on the 24th, the site was attended by four Mongolian burn children who had previously received treatment in Korea, along with their families, as well as officials from both countries, including the Mongolian Small and Medium Business Agency and the Seoul Dongdaemun District Council. Mongolian broadcasters also covered the arrival and the free medical service project.
Pediatric burns are considered a serious problem in Mongolia. According to a national child health report on Mongolia published by the World Health Organization (WHO), burns accounted for 21.1% of injury-related deaths among 3-year-old children in Mongolia from 2017 to 2021, the highest share. In a study analyzing 173,100 injury cases among children under 5 in Mongolia, 78.9% of all injuries occurred at home, and among nonfatal injuries, burns accounted for 16.5%, the second-highest after falls. In housing environments such as gers, which do not have separate kitchen spaces, young children can easily be exposed to cooking equipment or hot food and liquids, making living and cooking conditions another risk factor for burns.
Hospital director Dr. Jun Hur said, "The ties formed with Mongolian burn patients treated in Korea have led to medical cooperation that now brings us here to treat patients directly on site." He added, "We will not stop at one-time medical support. We will continue sharing treatment experience with Mongolian medical staff so that we can help improve the treatment environment for local burn patients."
Meanwhile, Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital and the Hallym Burn Foundation plan to continue exchanges based on the results of this medical cooperation, including inviting Mongolian medical staff for training and providing local treatment support.
Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
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