*History of APTS
During the past 2-3 decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer has sharply increased worldwide, and the management of thyroid cancer has become a major social issue. Also, thyroid surgery has been performing by various specialties. In this context, there was a need and interest for a society that focuses on the surgical treatment of thyroid disease comprising all experts, regardless of specialty. Kyung Tae (Korea) proposed the need for the such society of thyroid surgery in the Asia-Pacific region. He discussed the feasibility of establishing the society with leaders and experts on thyroid surgery in the Asia-Pacific area. Many renowned specialists enthusiastically received the proposal.

The first preparatory meeting for the society was held in New York on July 27, 2014 during the fifth World Congress of the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies (IFHNOS). Joining or authorizing the preparatory committee meeting were 19 doctors from 10 countries: Kyung Tae (Korea), Hiroya Kitano (Japan), Kwang Yoon Jung (Korea), Kang Dae Lee (Korea), Kunihiko Nagahara (Japan), Feng-Yu Chiang (Taiwan), Tsung-Lin Yang (Taiwan), Chen-Chi Wang (Taiwan), Subramania Iyer (India), Phakdee Sannikorn (Thailand), Cheerasook Chongkolwatana (Thailand), Neil Vallance (Australia), Christopher Perry (Australia), Ming-hua Ge (China), Zhuming Guo (China), Sonar Soni Panigoro (Indonesia), Marlinda Adham (Indonesia), Siu Kwan NG (Hong Kong), and Chwee Ming Lim (Singapore). The society was named the Asia-Pacific Society of Thyroid Surgery (APTS). The member countries consist of countries in Asia, Oceania, and Pan-Pacific regions, as well as all over the world. Globally well-known experts on thyroid surgery from North America, such as Gregory W. Randolph, David J. Terris, Ralph P. Tufano, Brendan C. Stack, and Jeremy L. Freeman, also strongly supported APTS and joined the Society.

The purpose of APTS is to provide a common platform for specialists in thyroid surgery to promote research, knowledge, and techniques of thyroid surgery and to develop a spirit of friendship among surgeons and physicians associated with thyroid surgery. Membership to APTS is available to all surgeons (head and neck, endocrine, otolaryngologists, general, etc.) as well as endocrinologists, nuclear medicine physicians, radiologists, pathologists, and allied scientists who have an active clinical practice or ongoing research on thyroid surgery. Hiroya Kitano was elected the first Director of APTS, and Kyung Tae was elected Secretary-General by a vote of the Executive Committee. Feng-Yu Chiang was elected the second Director of APTS, and Kyung Tae was re-elected Secretary-General at the Council meeting held in December 2018.

The first Congress of the Asia-Pacific Society of Thyroid Surgery (APTS 2015) was held in Seoul, Korea, in November 2015, with Kang Dae Lee serving as the Congress President. The second Congress (APTS 2017) was held in November 2017 in Okinawa, Japan, with Mikio Suzuki serving as the Congress President. The third Congress (APTS 2018) was held in December 2018 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with Feng-Yu Chiang as the Congress President. Unfortunately, the fourth Congress of APTS, which was supposed to be held in 2020 in Kochi, India, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the 4th Congress (APTS 2023) was held successfully in March 2023, in Kochi, India, with Subramania Iyer serving as the Congress President.

These four Congresses of APTS were great successes in all respects, with a substantial number of participants, the collaboration of multidisciplinary specialists, and an exchange of advanced knowledge and friendship. The number of participants increased by about 700 from 37 countries from the first Congress to the fourth.

Kyung Tae was elected the third Director of APTS, and Tsung-Lin Yang was elected Secretary-General at the Council meeting held in February 2023. Phakdee Sannikorn was elected the fifth Congress president, and the fifth Congress (APTS 2024) will be held in Nov 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The APTS is a multidisciplinary Society for Thyroid Surgery. As of April 2023, there are approximately 1420 active members from 49 countries, with 120 members from 43 countries who were elected to serve on the Executive Committee. Despite its relatively short history, APTS has grown rapidly and has now developed into one of the most influential societies in thyroid surgery. The APTS succeeded because society's goals were well established, so many doctors agreed and participated. The APTS is expected certainly to grow and develop further and become the most active and authoritative academic society in thyroid surgery. We will continue to fulfill our mission and vision: to advance thyroid surgery and improve health related to thyroid disease.

April 2023.