Yonsei MD · Aquablation Certified · KUA Board Cert.

Dr. Kim Yang-hu — English-Speaking Urologist in Busan, Korea

Chief Urologist & Medical Director — Seomyeon L Urology, 14F Busan Lotte Hotel

Dr. Kim Yang-hu is the surgeon who brought Aquablation to Busan. After his MD at Yonsei University — one of Korea's most academically selective medical schools — and a dedicated andrology fellowship at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, he pursued PROCEPT BioRobotics certification to introduce the AQUABEAM Robotic System to Busan in 2022. Seomyeon L Urology became the city's first and only PROCEPT-certified facility.

His clinical philosophy: when equivalent symptomatic outcomes are achievable, the procedure that preserves ejaculatory and sexual function is the default — not the exception. The Aquablation trial data (92% ejaculation preservation, TURP-equivalent relief) validated this at the procedural level. At the consultation level, it means patients are presented with data, not steered toward the most profitable option.

MD — Yonsei University College of Medicine (2012)
Urology Residency — Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System (2012–2016)
Andrology Fellowship — Severance Hospital (2016–2018)
KUA Board-Certified Urologist (2016)
PROCEPT BioRobotics Aquablation Certified Surgeon (2022)
KHIDI Foreign Patient Practice Certification (2016, renewed 2025) — Reg. M-2025-06-03-00412
Member: Korean Urological Association (KUA), Korean Society of Andrology (KSAN)
English-language consultations — no interpreter required

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Kim's Specialisation Areas

Dr. Kim at AQUABEAM console — Seomyeon L Urology Busan

AI Robotic BPH (Aquablation)

Busan's only PROCEPT-certified Aquablation surgeon. The AQUABEAM Robotic System uses AI ultrasound mapping and a waterjet to ablate obstructing prostate tissue without thermal injury to ejaculatory structures. Result: TURP-equivalent symptom relief, ejaculation preserved in 92% vs. ~35% for TURP. Dr. Kim declines to perform Aquablation outside the indicated prostate size range (30–150mL) — a discipline that reflects evidence adherence rather than device-utilisation pressure.

Erectile Dysfunction

Penile Colour Doppler ultrasound-guided ED assessment (pharmacostimulation + PSV/EDV measurement) distinguishes vasculogenic from non-vasculogenic ED before any treatment is recommended. Treatment spectrum: LiSWT shockwave (targeting vascular cause), ICI injection training, and AMS 700 CX / Coloplast Genesis implant for refractory cases. His Severance andrology fellowship included dedicated ED surgical training under senior Korean andrologists.

Microsurgical Andrology

Vasectomy reversal (vasovasostomy and epididymovasostomy) under ×20 operating microscope — the gold standard for reproductive microsurgery. Microsurgical subinguinal varicocele repair. TESA and micro-TESE sperm retrieval for IVF/ICSI with cryopreservation and coordination letter to the patient's IVF clinic. Fellowship training at Severance included the highest-volume microsurgical andrology department in the Busan–Seoul region.

Why Yonsei Training Matters

Yonsei University + Severance Hospital

Medical school quality is not uniform in Korea. Yonsei University College of Medicine ranks first or second nationally and is among the top medical schools in Asia. Yonsei graduates train at Severance Hospital — Korea's second-largest tertiary referral centre by procedure volume. A urology residency at Severance means exposure to a volume and complexity of cases that regional university hospitals rarely match.

Dr. Kim's subsequent andrology fellowship at Severance placed him in the department responsible for introducing microsurgical vasectomy reversal standards to the Busan–Seoul corridor. The fellowship is directly responsible for his vasovasostomy/epididymovasostomy success rates and for the clinical decision-making framework he applies to prostate procedure selection.

Verify Dr. Kim's credentials independently:

KUA physician registry: kurology.or.kr → specialist search
KHIDI certification: medicalkorea.khidi.or.kr → enter M-2025-06-03-00412
PROCEPT BioRobotics certification: contact PROCEPT at procept.com/training
Credential documents available on written request from the clinic

Dr. Kim on the Aquablation Decision

"When I reviewed the WATER trial data — 92% ejaculation preservation versus 32% for TURP with equivalent symptom relief — the clinical conclusion was straightforward. For sexually active BPH patients, there is no longer an acceptable reason to default to TURP unless anatomy or cost makes Aquablation unsuitable. The equipment investment was significant. The certification process was rigorous. But the patient outcomes justify both."

— Dr. Kim Yang-hu, on pursuing PROCEPT certification (2022)

Patient Communication Philosophy

Dr. Kim conducts all foreign patient consultations directly in English — no interpreter in the room. This affects the consultation materially: the patient can ask the doctor directly, the doctor responds to the actual question, and nothing is lost in relay.

For procedures like Aquablation, where a detailed explanation of the AI mapping step and the waterjet mechanism is part of informed consent, direct communication is not a convenience — it is a clinical requirement.

Pre-travel video consultation: free, 20 minutes, Zoom or WhatsApp
Pre-op consultation: in-person or video, same level of clinical detail
Discharge briefing: Dr. Kim conducts in English personally
Post-op follow-up (90 days): video, directly with Dr. Kim

Frequently Asked Questions About Dr. Kim

Seomyeon L Urology does not publish exact case volume as some patients consider their procedure history private. What we can confirm: Dr. Kim received PROCEPT proctoring certification in 2022, which requires a minimum supervised case volume, and has performed Aquablation continuously since then. PROCEPT BioRobotics tracks certified surgeon outcomes — Dr. Kim's certification remains active and renewed, which requires ongoing quality metrics compliance.

Dr. Kim performs all surgical procedures on foreign patients personally. Seomyeon L Urology does not operate as a teaching hospital — there are no residents or trainees assisting in OR. For Aquablation specifically, PROCEPT certification is surgeon-specific, not facility-specific; the certification belongs to Dr. Kim and cannot be delegated.

Yes — the free 20-minute pre-travel video consultation with Dr. Kim directly (not a nurse or patient coordinator) is standard for all international patients. Send diagnostic results beforehand by email and the consultation will address your specific case. Contact us at info@busanurologyclinic.com to schedule.

For procedures under local or spinal anaesthesia where the patient is conscious, Dr. Kim speaks English throughout. For sedated or general anaesthesia procedures, the post-op recovery room nurse speaks conversational English, and the discharge briefing is conducted in English personally by Dr. Kim before the patient leaves the clinic.