Intuitive wraps Intuitive 360 Korea 2026, outlining strategies for minimally invasive and robotic surgery

Intuitive Surgical Korea, a global provider of robot-assisted surgical systems, said Tuesday it had successfully held Intuitive 360 Korea 2026, a forum targeting hospital executives and medical specialists.

The event took place Saturday at Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, under the theme "The Future of Minimally Invasive Surgery Through Digital Transformation." Rebranded from the former Korea Executive Summit into a global flagship program, the forum drew about 100 participants — including senior hospital administrators, robotic surgery center directors, and nursing and operations leaders — who discussed the trajectory of robot-assisted surgery and ways to generate management value amid a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape.

The forum was organized into three sessions. The first, moderated by Han Sang-wook, executive vice president for medical affairs and hospital director at Ajou University, featured presentations by former Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol, National Cancer Center President Yang Han-kwang and Yonsei Cancer Hospital Vice Director Kang Sang-wook, who outlined directions for building a regionally self-sufficient healthcare system and strengthening the clinical evidence base for robotic surgery. The second and third sessions drew on real-world operational cases from Sharp HealthCare in the United States and domestic hospitals to examine how robot-assisted surgical programs can contribute to clinical, operational and financial value — and sharpen regional healthcare competitiveness.

An on-site Ecosystem Zone gave attendees a hands-on look at Intuitive's integrated platform — spanning robot-assisted surgical systems, digital solutions, specialist education programs and operational consulting that together cover the full pre-, intra- and post-operative continuum.

The push to build an integrated "ecosystem" combining medical staff education, data and consulting alongside surgical robot hardware reflects a broader paradigm shift in the global surgical robotics market — one aimed at improving safety in complex procedures while helping hospitals secure a sustainable management framework.

Choi Yong-beom, president of Intuitive Surgical Korea, said advances in robot-assisted surgery require more than technological evolution — they depend on medical staff education, surgical team operations, data-driven management and in-hospital collaboration working in concert. "As a long-term partner, we will provide integrated solutions to build an ecosystem aligned with each hospital's goals and support the expansion of minimally invasive surgery's value," he said.