Enacted: July 7, 2017
Revised: April 7, 2021
Revised: September 1, 2021

1. Name

The Ethics Committee of the Korea Liver Cancer Association (KLCA) (hereinafter referred to as the “Ethics Committee”).

2. Purpose

The Ethics Committee aims to promote the rights of the KLCA members (“members”), efficiency of medical work, mutual communication and cooperation among the members, by providing them with the necessary education on medical ethics, and resolving any issues related to publication or research ethics.

3. Organization and terms of service

• 1) Chairperson: The President of the KLCA acts as the chairperson of the Ethics Committee
• 2) Members: Members of the Ethics Committee include the Director of the Publication Committee (Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Liver Cancer), the Ethics Editor of Journal of Liver Cancer and the Director of the Scientific Committee of the KLCA. The Ethics Committee consists of no more than six members.
• 3) The members of the Ethics Committee serve for a term of at least two years.

4. Tasks

The following tasks are performed by the Ethics Committee

• 1) Evaluation of the types and severity of any cases of publication or research misconduct, and implementation of preventative measures.
• 2) Deliberation of the members’ rights, responsibilities, and qualifications in relation to medical ethics, and stipulation of punishment measures.
• 3) Other issues related to medical ethics.
• 4) Other ethics-related tasks delegated by the Board of Directors of the KLCA.

5. Meetings

• 1) The Chairperson may convene a meeting as deemed necessary.
• 2) The Ethics Committee meeting should be convened under the presence of more than 50% of the Committee members. An agreement will be established when more than 50% of the members present vote in agreement. In case of an equal number of votes, the Chairperson has the right to make the final decision.
• 3) Any agreement reached at the Ethics Committee is reported to the Board of Directors of the KLCA, and becomes effective upon obtaining the Board of Directors’ approval.

6. Regulations on penalties and punishments

The Ethics Committee will discuss the level of disciplinary action and consult the Board of Directors of the KLCA if a member of the KLCA does any of the following:

• 1) Defamation of the KLCA
• 2) Disturbing friendship
• 3) Violation of research ethics
• 4) Violation of publication ethics

Once the level of disciplinary action is approved by the Board of Directors, the subject and the organization which the subject is affiliated to will be notified, and the disciplinary action will be undertaken.

7. Appendix

• 1) Issues not established in these regulations should follow the decisions of the Ethics Committee.
• 2) This regulation becomes effective from the day of approval by the Board of Directors of the KLCA.