Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center Recognized as “Center of Excellence” by the World Endoscopy Organization

The Center Achieves Top Marks in Procedure Volume, Success Rate, Research Publications, and Training Programs — the Only Institution in Korea Among 20 Centers Worldwide

Jeong-Sik Byeon, Director for Digestive Endoscopy Center, said, “Our strong teamwork is the driving force behind our success, and we will continue to lead advancements in endoscopic diagnosis and treatment.”

▲ Medical staff of the Digestive Endoscopy Center at Asan Medical Center pose for a commemorative photo with the “Center of Excellence” certification plaque awarded by the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO).

The Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center has been certified as a “Center of Excellence” by the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO), recognizing the outstanding expertise and proficiency of its medical staff as well as the excellence of its endoscopic procedures.

The WEO is an international academic society in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy, comprising experts and related societies from around the world. The organization operates the “Center of Excellence” certification program, which recognizes institutions that demonstrate the highest standards in clinical care, education, and research based on a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as the number and success rate of endoscopic procedures, publications in SCI-indexed journals, medical staff training programs, and participation in multicenter clinical studies.

Only 20 institutions worldwide have been certified as “Centers of Excellence,” and Asan Medical Center is the only one in Korea to receive this recognition. To maintain the certification, each center must undergo reevaluation every five years. The Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center was first certified in 2015, then again in 2021, and has now earned the distinction for the third time this year.

The Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center is organized into four specialized units such as upper endoscopy, lower endoscopy, pancreatobiliary endoscopy, and gastrointestinal function testing. Across its 30 procedure rooms, the center provides expert diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of gastrointestinal diseases using advanced endoscopic techniques. Since its establishment in 1989, the center has performed more than 2.253 million endoscopic procedures as of July 2025, which is a remarkable achievement that ranks among the highest worldwide.

In particular, the Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center has achieved outstanding results in endoscopic treatment of gastrointestinal tumors such as early gastric and colorectal cancers, as well as in various pancreatobiliary interventions, endoscopic ultrasound procedures, and gastrointestinal function testing. Based on its world-class expertise and technical proficiency, the center performed an impressive number of procedures last year alone, including 3,856 mucosal resections, 1,273 submucosal dissections, 3,127 polypectomies, 7,995 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies (ERCPs), 3,500 endoscopic ultrasound examinations, and 3,800 functional tests.

In addition to its clinical excellence, the Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center plays a leading role as an educational institution, contributing to the advancement of the endoscopy field. Since 2018, Professors Dong-Wan Seo, Tae Jun Song, and Dongwook Oh of the Division of Gastroenterology at Asan Medical Center have been operating the WEO International School of Endoscopic Ultrasound (WISE), an international training program for endoscopic ultrasound under the World Endoscopy Organization.

The WISE program is a specialized training course designed to provide physicians under the age of 45 with systematic education and hands-on experience in endoscopic ultrasound procedures. Over the course of one year, participants complete a five-step curriculum that progresses from basic techniques to advanced interventional procedures. To date, a total of 311 medical professionals from 41 countries including the United States, India, and Brazil have completed the WISE program.

In addition, since 2014, The Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center has been actively participating in the International Young Endoscopist Awards (IYEA) program organized by the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Through this program, physicians from around the world visit Asan Medical Center to observe endoscopic procedures and receive hands-on training, further promoting global exchange and education in the field of endoscopy.

Thanks to its leading contributions to the advancement of gastroenterology, Asan Medical Center was recently ranked fourth in the world for gastroenterology in Newsweek’s “World’s Best Specialized Hospitals 2026” survey. This achievement places the hospital alongside top global institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital.

Jeong-Sik Byeon, Director for Digestive Endoscopy Center of Asan Medical Center, said, “Being recognized as a ‘Center of Excellence’ by the World Endoscopy Organization is the result of our team’s dedication and seamless collaboration across clinical care, research, and education. We will continue to provide world-class medical services and lead the advancement of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment.”