Welcome to the WHC 2026 in Seoul

The IHF welcomes you to the World Hospital Congress

From everyone at the IHF, it’s a pleasure to welcome you to the World Hospital Congress 2026 – the 49^th gathering of healthcare leaders from around the world.

For this edition, we invite you to Seoul, Republic of Korea, to share your knowledge and experience with peers under the call to action: global learning, local action.

Together, we are building the future of healthcare delivery – centred on quality and safety, on resilience and sustainability, and on unlocking the potential of digital and virtual platforms to improve the lives of our patients, our teams, and our communities.

The competencies of leadership in our sector are universal. Our work and our mission connect us at a foundational level. Our challenges are often the same, no matter where we come from, and the questions that we ask ourselves are the same. And when we meet at the Congress, our ambitions to answer these questions and to drive transformation are also shared. We will learn, exchange, and collaborate so that our actions can deliver essential and meaningful change when we go back home.

We look forward to welcoming you to this unique forum. From the exceptional quality of the programme, the hospital visits, the cultural highlights, and the networking opportunities, I’m sure the connections we will build will strengthen the impact of our service improvements for the people we care for.

The IHF World Hospital Congress is your unmissable opportunity to invest in your leadership skills and to contribute to the global conversation. I’m excited to see you there in October.

Shaping human-centred healthcare in the age of AI

It is my great pleasure to invite you to the 49th IHF World Hospital Congress, which will be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in October 2026.

Today, global healthcare stands at the centre of profound transformation. From super-aging societies and infectious disease crises to rapid advances in artificial intelligence, the healthcare environment is changing faster than ever before.

Yet, in times of great change, I firmly believe one principle remains constant: the patient must always remain at the heart of healthcare, and the essential role of hospitals is to protect and care for people.

The main theme of the Congress – “Global learning, local action for every patient” – reflects this shared vision and responsibility.

The Seoul Congress will be more than an international conference. It will serve as a global platform where healthcare leaders learn from one another, collaborate across borders, and explore solutions for the future together.

Through a wide range of programmes – including academic sessions and exhibitions, the i-to-i Innovation Hub and the IHF Awards – we will engage in in-depth discussions on the most critical issues facing global healthcare today, including patient-centred care, hospital leadership, sustainability and climate resilience, digital healthcare and artificial intelligence, healthcare quality improvement, and patient safety.

During the unprecedented crisis of COVID-19, Korea demonstrated healthcare capabilities recognized worldwide through rapid response, strong collaboration, the dedication of healthcare professionals, and innovation powered by digital technologies.

At the Seoul Congress, we hope to share with the world the experience, resilience, and future vision of K-healthcare – a system that protects patients through crisis and continues to evolve rapidly through AI and digital innovation.

In addition, the Korea Pavilion exhibition and hospital tour programmes will provide participants with firsthand experiences of the innovation and capabilities of Korean hospitals and the healthcare industry.

I am confident that WHC 2026 in Seoul will become a new milestone connecting the future of Korean healthcare with the global community.

Above all, I hope this Congress will reaffirm the importance of collaboration over competition, human-centred values over technology alone, and global solidarity for the benefit of every patient.

In October of 2026, let us come together in the vibrant city of Seoul to shape the future of global healthcare.

We look forward to welcoming you to Seoul.