In recent years, most of the Northeast Asian countries, South Korea, as well as a rapidly aging society is underway. These countries try to solve the many problems caused by an aging society at government level. One of various approaches to resolve these problems is the application of exercise. Thus the role of kinesilogist is becoming more and more important. That’s why we host the 2012 Northeast Asia Conference (NACK) in Seoul to discuss the role of Kinesilogist in the aging society. I would like to give my warm welcome to all the members of the Korean Association of Certified Exercise Professionals (KACEP) who will participate in the 2012 (NACK). Also, I must express my gratitude and welcome to the scholars from northeast Asian countries such as China, Japan and Taiwan for the international-level promotion and development of kinesiology.

The KACEP has concentrated on establishing the identity and professionalism of kinesiology and kinesiologist through fostering exercise professionals and exercise-related training and studies in diversified channels. In addition, the association has taken the initiative in making the government to enact laws for the nationally-certified qualification system for the creation of job fields and extension of functions. The outcomes have shown both qualitative and quantitative growth in academic terms, produced over 2,500 exercise professionals, and formed a social consensus in the necessity of national qualification system for exercise professionals. Moreover, the KACEP has been putting its best efforts in establishing the identity and professionalism of kinesiology in Northeast Asia through the conference regarding such common interest with scholars from Japan, China and Taiwan. Although our endeavors for academic, social, legal and systematical acknowledgement have been continued, there are still misunderstandings. It is just due to a segmented perspective rather than an amalgamative perspective, resulting in a narrow range of participation.

I am so pleased to hold the 2012 Northeast Asia Conference on Kinesiology (NACK) for overcoming such difficulty and taking growth to a higher level with all of you. Discussions in respect of the identity and professionalism of kinesiology will be promoted and the educational contents will become more faithful through the meeting. And various efforts will be put so that our younger majors may work with more pride and worth in even better environment through the extension of the job fields for exercise professionals. Therefore, the participation and interest of your distinguished guests and students here are necessary obligations for our win-win cooperation and further development mentioned above. I firmly believe that the 2012 NACK will be an excellent opportunity to correspond to your expectations with wider perspectives. Also, I hope you will acquire and make use of lots of valuable things during this meeting expecting your supports and interests in the future as well.

Again, I would like to express my deep gratitudes to the KACEP executives, members and staff of the Organizing Committee, all the sponsors and volunteers who have displayed careful considerations at the back stage for the success of this meeting.

Thank you.

Double dip recession is becoming a major issue in the delicate world economy. Unemployment among young people is serious and threatens our society. Kinematics, physical education and sports-related fields also suffer from the same issue.

Nobody will study if it never helps in getting a job even though it aims at being beneficial to humans. Traditionally, physical education began for fostering gym teachers at school, but now we are facing an era in which that is not all. Sports industry has been growing enormously since sports-related fields were developed. Exercise is currently recognized as medicine as lack of exercise came to the fore as a socio-pathological phenomenon that injure people's health, and even the government intends to lift up the level of physical activities as a national assignment.

However, there are still lots of problems to be settled in such efforts for an opportunity for employment for applicable majors. Many nations would not treat the resolution of insufficient exercise as an urgent task due to lack of awareness of national policy makers. Some other nations suffer from non-cooperations among governmental branches caused by conflicts between athletes and health care providers. It is true that even we who majoring in kinematics or physical education have perception gaps and fall into conceptual confusion.

Such situation would be caused by that we could not make the identity of study and specialty clear. Except for gym teachers at school, We do not have a professional qualification system adopted all over the world. Therefore, the title of exercise-related professional qualifications and of subjects in universities and colleges are found in various forms in every country. We will not be able to guarantee our future unless we take care of such situation as soon as possible.

Currently in Korea, the bill of health management service was brought. However, the bill only includes doctor/herb doctor, nurse and nutritionist in the classification of health management service professionals even though the 'exercise' is a core factor of the service in the bill; it even excludes kinesiologist! It is because there is no exercise-related professional license acknowledged by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea. Other nations may not have the national license system for kinesiologist, too, thus we will urgently create national qualification for kinesiologist through mutual cooperations.

In the future we should have a national qualification system at least coming close to nutritionist so that we may be legally protected in terms of health management services in of ubiquitous era and play our parts by enhancing our status as kinesiologists. Also, we will extend our opportunity for employment in health and medicine field with good treatment without unfair limitations, e.g. the Medical Law.

With such expectations, we are holding the 2nd Northeast Asia Kinematics Symposium in Korea after 2010. The reason that the term 'Northeast Asia' is used is that the nations in the region using the Chinese term '運動' should get together as we have brought the topic. I expect such object will be widely diffused throughout the world in the future.

Our study item has never been globally unified yet. It is not sure how the term '運動' used in Northeast Asia is sit with English, but I believe that English-speaking countries will make clear with the concept having symmetry with the term in the future.

The subject of the symposium this time is Health Management Service and Roles of Kinesiologist for stressing on current issues related to the above-mentioned classification of health management service professionals.

I expect many scholars from many countries having the mutual agreement in the Northeast Asia Kinematics Symposium to be held for establishing a conceptual system of the item we are studying by making clear of the idea of kinematics and further more for building a nationally-qualified license that we, majors, must have. We need your efforts in public relations for the event.

Thank you.

October 2010