Organization: Korean Audiological Society
Title: Report on the Korean Audiological Society’s Activities for World Hearing Day 2026
Al title (for format and translation – not permanent:
Report on the Korean Audiological Society’s Activities for World Hearing Day 2026
Description:
In commemoration of World Hearing Day 2026 and in alignment with this year’s WHO theme, “From Communities to Classrooms: Hearing Care for All Children,” the Korean Audiological Society (KAS) organized a coordinated series of nationwide activities aimed at raising public awareness of childhood hearing health and promoting the early identification and management of pediatric hearing loss across the Republic of Korea.
First, the Society undertook the official Korean translation of all WHO World Hearing Day 2026 campaign posters and educational materials. The translated content was carefully reviewed by KAS members to ensure linguistic accuracy, clinical precision, and cultural appropriateness. Upon completion, the posters were distributed to all members of the Society and to affiliated medical institutions nationwide, including university hospitals, tertiary referral centers, and community otolaryngology and audiology clinics. Member institutions were encouraged to display the materials in prominent public areas such as outpatient waiting rooms, audiology suites, and pediatric departments, thereby enhancing the visibility of the campaign and disseminating its key messages to patients, caregivers, and the wider community throughout the country.
Second, the Korean Audiological Society hosted a national symposium entitled “Symposium on Early Diagnosis and Rehabilitation of Hearing Loss in Newborns and Infants,” held on 14 March 2026 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in commemoration of World Hearing Day. The symposium was intentionally designed with a multi-audience approach, bringing together otolaryngologists, audiologists, pediatricians, primary care physicians, patients, and members of the general public within a single educational forum. The scientific program focused on infant and early childhood hearing loss and covered a comprehensive range of topics, including universal newborn hearing screening, the diagnostic workup of congenital and acquired hearing loss, contemporary management strategies such as hearing aid fitting and pediatric cochlear implantation, and long-term auditory and speech-language rehabilitation. Dedicated sessions were also arranged to address the practical concerns of parents and caregivers, offering guidance on recognizing the early signs of hearing impairment in children and on navigating the diagnostic and therapeutic pathways available within the Korean healthcare system. The event drew a large and engaged audience and was widely regarded as a successful platform for bridging clinical expertise with public education.
Third, to extend the reach of the campaign well beyond academic and clinical settings, the Korean Audiological Society partnered with Doctor Friends, one of the most widely viewed physician-led medical YouTube channels in the Republic of Korea, to deliver a public-facing educational program. A series of five video episodes was produced, in which senior KAS members appeared as featured speakers, introducing the significance of World Hearing Day, highlighting the 2026 WHO theme, and discussing the importance of hearing health among school-aged children. The content emphasized practical messages aligned with the campaign’s central priorities — preventing avoidable childhood hearing loss and ensuring early identification of and care for children with ear or hearing problems. Particular attention was given to recognizing hearing difficulties in classroom environments, the impact of unaddressed hearing loss on learning and social development, and the complementary roles of families, teachers, and primary care providers in early detection. The five episodes have to date attracted between approximately 12,000 and 53,000 views each, enabling the campaign’s messages to reach a broad national audience far beyond the medical community.
Through these coordinated activities — multilingual material adaptation and nationwide distribution, a dedicated commemorative symposium, and large-scale digital media outreach — the Korean Audiological Society sought to embody the spirit of World Hearing Day 2026 by mobilizing professional, institutional, and public stakeholders around the shared goal of ensuring that every child in Korea has the opportunity to hear, learn, and thrive.
Primary site: WPR – Republic of Korea
Region: WPR
Impactful Story:
A Korean mother commented on the Korean Audiological Society’s Doctor Friends episode that her early-elementary school-aged child had begun failing to respond when spoken to, often saying “I didn’t hear that” or answering inappropriately even after simplified explanations. Suspecting an attention problem, she had planned a psychiatric consultation. After watching the program, she instead visited an otolaryngologist, where audiological testing confirmed hearing loss. Although a hearing aid was not yet required, she expressed gratitude for finally understanding the underlying cause and knowing the appropriate next steps for her child.
General Photos
KAS × Doctor Friends YouTube Campaign for WHD 2026
Awards at KAS WHD 2026 pediatric hearing symposium
Korean translation of WHO WHD 2026 poster by KAS
Speakers at KAS WHD 2026 pediatric hearing symposium
Types of Engagement:
Live event: Yes
Screening: No
Traditional media: No
Social media: Yes
Special needs populations: persons with disabilities (including hearing loss), children and adolescents, rural or remote population
Met with individual policymaker: No
Participation of policy makers: Yes
Participation of influencers: Yes
WHO technical tool used: No
WHO educational and social media used: No