History

Moments that connect the value of donation
A journey that bridges one life to another

Since KODA's Establishment (~Present)

2025

  • Apr

    Selected as an Excellent Institution in the 2024 Anti-Corruption Policy Evaluation (Public Institution under the Ministry of Health and Welfare)

  • Mar

    Launch of the Honors Club

2024

  • Dec

    Launched access to the Family Relations Registration Information System to improve the donation process

    (approved by the Supreme Court Administration, Nov. 25)

  • Aug

    Appointed actor Cha Soon-bae as Honorary Ambassador

  • May

    Appointment of the 3rd President, Lee Sam-yeol

  • Jan

    Received the Minister of Health and Welfare Award for Innovation in Public Procurement (2023)

2023

  • Dec

    Received the Minister of Health and Welfare Award for Best Practices in Active Administration

    (Introduction of Electronic Notification System)

  • Nov

    Received the Korea National & Social Contribution Award (Organ and Tissue Donation Category)

  • Sep

    Received Commendation from the Mayor of Busan on Organ Donation Day

  • Aug

    Rated Excellent (Grade A) in the 2022 Management Performance Evaluation of Other Public Institutions

  • Jun

    Appointed TV Chosun anchor Ryu Joo-hyun as Honorary Ambassador

  • Mar

    Expanded family support services for donor families to all brain-death determination hospitals

  • Jan

    Introduced "Number of Brain-Death Reports" as a pilot indicator in Medical Quality Evaluation (to be implemented in 2024)

2022

  • Oct

    Received Minister of Education Award for Education Donation Program

  • Jul

    Awarded the first Life-Sharing Family Scholarship

    Appointed comedian Kim Kyung-sik as Honorary Ambassador

  • Mar

    Appointment of the 2nd President, Park Geum-borae, of KODA LAB

  • Jan

    Launched the Hope Mailbox pilot project

2021

  • Aug

    Launch of Life-Sharing Guardians

  • Jan

    Designated as an Excellent Institution for Education Donation (valid until Dec. 31, 2023)

2020

  • Dec

    Selected as an Excellent Institution for Education Donation

  • Nov

    Appointment of the 2nd President, Moon In-sung

    Trained the 1st Class of Life-Sharing Instructors

  • Aug

    Established Electronic Notification System

2019

  • Nov

    Human Rights Management Declaration Ceremony

  • Sep

    Relocated KODA LAB to Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

  • May

    Signed an MOU for Promoting Awareness of Life Sharing

    (with KDCA, Korea Human Resource Development Institute for Health & Welfare, Korean Nurses Association, and Saengmyeongitgi)

2018

  • Dec

    Relocated headquarters to Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

    Published the first Life-Sharing Casebook (With a Beating Heart Again)

    Designated as a Family-Friendly Certified Institution

  • Apr

    Launched Donor Transport Support Project

    Started Non-Affiliated Hospital Family Support Project

2017

  • Nov

    Appointment of the 1st President, Cho Won-hyun

  • Sep

    Designated as an Other Public Institution

  • May

    Designated as an Organ Transplant Registration Institution and Tissue Donation Registration Institution

  • Apr

    Launched Saengsaeng School (Youth Life-Sharing Education)

    Designated as an Organ Procurement Organization and Tissue Donation Support Organization

  • Mar

    Establishment of the Korea Organ and Donation Agency (KODA) as a foundation

    (Integration of KODA, KOST, and part of the Korea Human Tissue Donation Agency)

  • Feb

    Held the Founding General Meeting of KODA

Before KODA's Establishment (2009-2016)

2016

  • Sep

    Established the Organ and Tissue Integration Preparation Committee (Sep 2016 – Apr 2017)

    Held meetings among organization heads to discuss integration

    (Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Organ Donation Agency, Korea Human Tissue Donation Agency, and Human Tissue Donation Support Center)

  • Jan

    Launched NRC Integrated Call Center for organ and tissue donation (1577-1458)

2015

  • Oct

    Signed an MOU to enhance donation efficiency (Ministry of Health and Welfare, KODA, and the Korea Human Tissue Donation Agency)

    Hosted the ISODP 2015 (International Society for Organ Donation and Procurement) in Seoul (Oct 17–20)

  • Jan

    Implemented the Korean Donor Improvement Program (DIP)

2014

  • Mar

    Approved for Testing Services at KODA LAB (by KONOS)

2013

  • Dec

    Opened KODA LAB (1st President: Prof. Myung-Hee Park)

  • May

    Held the first Donor Memorial Ceremony

  • Jan

    Established the Family Support Division

2012

  • Jun

    Opened Regional Office (Seoul)

  • Apr

    Introduced the Donor Action Program (DAP) — the predecessor to DIP

2011

  • Dec

    Began Family Support Services for partner hospitals

  • Nov

    Opened Regional Offices in Gwangju, Daegu, Daejeon, and Busan

  • Jun

    Designated as an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) (under the Act on Organ Transplantation)

  • May

    Hosted the first KODA Global Forum

    Designated as an Organ Transplant Registration Institution

  • Apr

    Published the first Annual Report (Donation Statistics and Institutional Performance)

  • Mar

    Received Foundation Approval (1st Chairperson: Ha Jong-won)

2009

  • May

    Official establishment of the Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) (Founder: Ha Jong-won)

  • Feb

    Designated as the Independent Organ Procurement Organization Project (Seoul National University Hospital)

    (Continuation of the 1st and 2nd Pilot Projects for OPOs in 2007–2008)