Indong Oh, a world-renowned expert in orthopedic surgery and artificial joint development, passed away on June 19 at the age of 85.
Born in Ongjin, Hwanghae Province, Oh served as a military doctor during the Korean War. After immigrating to the United States in 1970, he dedicated his career to advancing artificial hip joint technology as an orthopedic surgeon.
He held academic appointments at top institutions, including serving as an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a lecturer in biomedical engineering at MIT, before founding the LA Institute for Artificial Joints in 1981.
Beginning in 1976, Oh developed more than 40 types of artificial hip joint implants and surgical instruments, securing 11 U.S. patents. He also authored 14 books and published over 70 research papers on surgical methods, contributing significantly to the global advancement of orthopedic medicine.
His work earned international recognition, including the F. Stinchfield Award in 1977 and the J. Charnley Award in 1983 from the American Hip Society.
Beyond his medical achievements, Oh actively supported Korean American cultural and civic life. He was the founding president of the Korean American Foundation for the Arts (KAFA), supported cultural initiatives, and served as chairman of the Korean American Coalition (KAC) and as an advisor to the UCLA Center for Korean Studies.
In 1992, Oh joined the first delegation of the Korean American Medical Association to visit North Korea. He returned multiple times to train doctors in artificial joint surgery and support prosthetic production. In recognition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in medicine by North Korea in 2012.
A lifelong advocate for medical research, Oh used numerous cadaver specimens for his studies and expressed a wish to donate his own body for educational purposes. Honoring this request, his body was donated to the Loma Linda University School of Medicine, and after the research concludes, his remains will be scattered on a mountain he frequently visited.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
