GCTS 2026

Dr. Jeong-Ho Chae (MD, PhD) graduated from the Catholic University of Korea and currently serves as a Professor of Psychiatry at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. Dr. Chae is the Principal Investigator of a large national disaster research project and has been leading the Sewol Ferry disaster cohort study for over 10 years. He is also a former Board Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) and is recognized as one of Korea's leading experts in “traumatic stress”. Dr. Chae has served as President of multiple professional societies, including the Korean Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (KSTSS, the founding president), the Korean Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the Korean Academy of Medicine for Emotion, Cognition and Behavior, Korean Academy of Meditation in Medicine, the Korean Academy of Anxiety and Mood, and the Korean Society of Occupational Stress. He has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed international publications and numerous textbooks and scholarly books. In recognition of his academic and clinical contributions, he has received numerous awards, including the Prime Minister’s Commendation and the Academic Excellence Award from the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.

Dr. Bita Ghafoori is a Professor of Counseling Psychology, Department Chair, and Director of the California State University Long Beach (CSULB) Long Beach Trauma Recovery Center. For over 15 years she has studied psychosocial adaptation to crime, violence, and disasters; cultural models of mental illness and service utilization; and the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices for delivery of mental health services to trauma exposed adults and underserved populations. She has lectured nationally and internationally on these topics.

Dr. Sonya Norman is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. She also directs the U.S. National Center for PTSD’s PTSD Consultation Program . Dr. Norman is a clinical psychologist and a researcher in the treatment of PTSD and addictions, and in novel treatments to address trauma-related guilt, shame, and moral injury. Dr. Norman has over 250 publications related to PTSD and associated problems and is the principal investigator of research studies funded by several U.S. federal agencies. She serves as an elected board member of the International Society of Traumatic Stress. She received her PhD from Stanford University.

Dr. Duane D. Booysen is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Rhodes University in Makhanda, South Africa. His research investigates the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of exposure therapy for PTSD in non-profit organisations, primary health clinics, and general community settings in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape of South Africa. His work has been funded by the National Research Foundation (SA) and the South African Medical Research Council.

Dr. Min-Young Sim is a psychiatrist and the Director of the National Trauma Center at the National Center for Mental Health in Seoul, South Korea.
Since 2013, Dr. Sim has led national disaster mental health response efforts, establishing and directing the Disaster Psychological Support Team under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Following the founding of the National Trauma Center in 2018, she was appointed its Director and has continued to guide South Korea’s national trauma response system. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded the Order of Service Merit in 2025.
Her clinical and academic work focuses on trauma, PTSD, and disaster mental health. She is a certified therapist in Prolonged Exposure Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and is currently the only certified Prolonged Exposure Therapy supervisor in South Korea. Dr. Sim is actively involved in the Disaster Mental Health Committee, the Korean Trauma Stress Society, and the Korean Society of Emotional-Cognitive Behavioral Medicine.

Jin-Oh Bok is an environmental documentary director and independent producer whose work has focused on ecological issues, human–nature relationships, and the lived realities of those who endure societal disasters. He graduated from Dankook University with a degree in Law in 1992 and has since built a career as a leading figure in Korea’s independent documentary field. He currently serves as a documentary director specializing in environmental productions, a member of the Media Committee of the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements, and the Director of Rights Protection at the Korean Independent PD Association.
Director Bok is best known for Logbook – Diary of Sewol Ferry Divers (MBC Special, 2018), a documentary widely recognized for its unflinching portrayal of the rescue divers who participated in the Sewol Ferry disaster operation. Through immersive on-site filming and sensitive narrative craftsmanship, he captured not only the physical challenges of the divers but also the profound psychological wounds carried by those involved in the tragedy. This work has since become a significant visual record of collective trauma in contemporary Korean society.
Beyond this landmark documentary, he has directed or filmed numerous environmental and nature-focused works for major broadcasters including SBS, KBS, EBS, YTN Science, Arirang TV, and MBN. His filmography includes The Blue Return of Jedol the Dolphin (SBS Special, 2013), We Are All Tuvaluans (Arirang TV Special, 2010), and several ecological documentaries produced with national and international environmental organizations.
In this keynote, Director Bok offers a rare and personal reflection on the trauma he documented through the Sewol diving logbooks—and the trauma he himself encountered as an independent producer, illuminating the emotional, ethical, and human dimensions of bearing witness to disaster.