Distinguished members of the Korean Turfgrass Society and honored guests attending today’s meeting,

Greetings. I am Lee Geung-Ju, the 19th President of the Korean Turfgrass Society.

Founded in August 1987, our Society marks its 37th anniversary this year. I believe our mission is to further strengthen and refine the academic, industrial, and public-interest identity that our predecessors, colleagues, and junior members have diligently cultivated over the years. To this end, during my two-year term, I will focus on the following priorities.

First, We will reinforce and redefine the status and role of our Society. The prestige of an academic society is closely linked to the evaluation and standing of its journal. Since being designated as a registered journal by the National Research Foundation of Korea in 2010, the Journal of the Korean Turfgrass Society has maintained its accredited status. It is now time for Weed & Turfgrass Sciences (WTS), jointly published with the Korean Weed Science Society, to advance to the level of Scopus and SCI-indexed journals.
With the dedication of the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief and editorial board members, along with the support of both societies, we will begin preparations for this advancement. In addition, we will introduce the systems of a Senior Vice President and an Academic Conference Organizing Chair to further develop a more systematic and well-prepared academic conference structure.

Second, We will expand the scope of turfgrass science and the turfgrass industry through bold interdisciplinary convergence. Preparing for the era of unmanned turf management and AI-driven, data-based research and management, we will transcend the boundaries between academia and industry to enhance our field’s scalability and innovation.
Through these efforts, we will seek ways to attract more members from diverse academic disciplines, industry sectors, and national institutions. In particular, we must carefully consider practical measures to encourage greater participation of international members and increased scholarly contributions to WTS.

Third, We will strengthen cooperation between the Society and related institutions and industries. Academic advancement cannot exist without the growth of its related industries. As an applied discipline, turfgrass science ultimately aims to address the practical challenges faced by the industry.
We will develop various programs to enhance communication with government agencies, associations, corporations, and research institutes connected to our field. Beginning with an MOU with the Korea Public Golf Course Association, we will diversify communication opportunities through equipment exhibitions and jointly hosted Field Days, working together to resolve challenges faced in the field.

Together with the newly appointed executive board of the 19th term, I will strive to build upon the strong foundation established by our members and further advance the Society to the next stage of growth through the systematic expansion and diversification of our organizational systems.

I kindly ask for your continued interest, valuable suggestions, and active participation so that our Society may become sustainable and make meaningful contributions to the national economy.

Thank you.