The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine has signed an MOU with Taiwan's National Defense Medical University, taking the first step towards development through mutual exchange. The signing ceremony was held on Monday, December 1st, at The Catholic University of Korea Omnibus Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Key officials attended, including President Lin Zhiyuan and Director of International Affairs Wang Zhengchang from the National Defense Medical University, as well as Professor Min Chang-ki, Executive Vice President and Director of the Medical Center at The Catholic University of Korea, Professor Chung Yeon-joon, Dean of the Graduate School, and Professor Lee Dong-geon, Dean of the College of Medicine. The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine and the National Defense Medical University have consistently maintained a cooperative relationship and exchange since 2023, even holding a joint symposium in Taipei, Taiwan, last May on 'The Latest Trends and Research in Cell Therapy.' This MOU is the culmination of the trust built over the past three years. The two universities promised to institutionalize cooperation across all fields—academics, research, and education—including vitalizing exchange among faculty, students, and researchers, as well as conducting joint research activities and academic seminars, thereby achieving mutual development. In his welcoming speech, Professor Min Chang-ki, Executive Vice President and Director of the Medical Center, remarked, "Based on the long-standing relationship between the two universities, our academic community has become richer and our shared mission in medical education has become stronger. I hope today serves as a moment to confirm our deep friendship and a starting point to open up new possibilities." The National Defense Medical University, an institution under Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, is recognized as Taiwan's top-tier medical education institution, specializing in training professionals in medicine, nursing, and life sciences, and conducting national research projects. Notably, the institution changed its name from National Defense Medical Center to National Defense Medical University last September, repositioning itself as a comprehensive university that covers national health care and biomedicine research across the board, moving beyond its previous focus on military medicine.