Over the last 37 years, KPS has achieved remarkable growth. Ever since the days when we believed that medicine as all about studying and caring about life and death, we have always been aware of just how much the physical and psychological restrictions that are caused by pain can impact people's lives. Seeking to resolve this problem is what led to the beginning of studies in the fields of health and medicine. We’ve always emphasized this and in many ways, it is why KPS exists.
As this belief must continue, now is a time when our role is more important than ever.

Going beyond the era of having a longevity of a hundred years, we are now on the verge of entering an era of precision medicine. We should now be treating patients based on their respective characteristics and personal differences rather than continuing with standardized treatments. This gives us more to prepare for but at the same time gives us an opportunity for us as pain doctors to shine. In line with this trend, I think our treatments need changes as does the reimbursement scheme. I will raise my voice so that when well-educated and qualified people provide the most proper treatments, they get what they deserve, by which I mean the right price for the quality service they provide. To this end, we should also keep improving our capabilities, performing physical examinations carefully, properly analyzing the results that come from cutting-edge diagnostic instruments, and doing even risky injection treatments in the safest possible way.
You should not only be well trained during your days as a medical resident, but you should also never stop learning new theories and skills after you become a specialist or open your own clinic or hospital. We will prepare a variety of programs, such as a 10-session class for residents, more small workshops, and a traveling class program, and we will of course continue in our endeavors to discover new content and information.

We are also facing many challenges to overcome, including concerns about the increase in health insurance benefits for nerve blocks, excessive costs for special spine treatments, concerns about prescriptions and the abuse of narcotic medications, the anxiety surrounding steroid use, treatments by non-pain specialists, and falsely or excessively advertised non-medical approaches. We will also resolve these concerns one by one, through justification for the differentiation of insurance fees, institutionalization of education and the introduction of medical sub-specialist program, alongside conferences targeting the public and media.

We still have a lot to do, and the world is wide. We will extend our exchange and cooperation efforts around the world to promote the advanced pain medicine we have here in Korea. If necessary, we will also sign MOUs and create training programs to invite experts and host global conferences.

In King Henry the Fourth, a famous play by Shakespeare, there is a line saying, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” KPS is, and should be, truly the most authoritative society with regards to pain. No one can monopolize pain in all its abstract nature but treating patients who suffer from pain requires continuous intensive training. Being fully aware that pain medicine is something that should be discussed and developed across various clinical subjects including basic physiology, I would like to lead these such academic efforts and forays in the field. We will respond to any and all issues and incidents regarding people's pain in a quick and well-prepared manner and express our views on the matter at the same time. We will also prepare some programs to help comfort people who are in pain. Instead of shifting or abandoning our responsibilities, we will clarify that it is we who will resolve the problems. Over the next two years, KPS will pursue this role, further clarifying our authority.

As a qualified member of an authoritative society, I will fulfill this role as chairperson. I also believe that the activities and lives of all our members are the present and future of KPS. Please give your unsparing support for the Korean Pain Society so that we can take this step forward together.

Thank you.
November 2022. For another leap forward...

Pyung-Bok Lee, MD, PhD
President of the Korean Pain Society