Park Kyung-ah, a professor of anatomy at Yonsei University College of Medicine, has become the new head of the Medical Women’s International Association, the organization announced.

The MWIA was founded in 1919 to promote cooperation among women practicing medicine across the globe and to address health issues of women and children.

Park, 62, was officially inaugurated as president of the Medical Women’s International Association on Saturday, taking the position from outgoing president Afua Hesse of Ghana.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the 29th international congress of MWIA at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. Her term is three years.

Park worked previously as president of the Korean Medical Women’s Association and vice president of the Korean Medical Association. She is also the daughter of Na Bok-young, the first female anatomist in Korea.

“There are still many countries that have not joined us. I’ll devote my time as the president (of MWIA) to increase our membership, and to find and help countries with limited medical support,” Park said before the inaugural ceremony.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)