First, I would like to briefly outline the histories of the Academies sponsoring the publication. The Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology was founded in 1972 and has published its official journal, the Korean Journal of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, quarterly since 1981. As of 2008, its membership comprised about 1000 physicians, including pediatricians, rhinologists, and dermatologists. It holds two main congresses each year, in spring and autumn, at which more than 200 abstracts are presented. Annually, the Academy has published eight editorials, 20 original articles, eight reviews, and 10 case reports in its official journal.

The Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease was founded in 1987 and has published its official journal, the Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease(Korea), since that time. The Academy consisted of 1400 pediatricians in 2008. Like its partner Academy, this Academy also holds congresses each spring and autumn, with more than 200 abstracts being presented every year, and has published eight editorials, 20 original articles, eight reviews, and 10 case reports in its official journal.

Since their founding, the two Academies have sponsored several international congresses and symposia on allergy, immunology, and pediatric respiratory diseases. The Korean-Japan Joint Allergy symposium has been held biannually since the founding of the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Many of international meetings have been successfully hosted in Korea. At international and domestic symposia, members of both Academies have presented many excellent abstracts, which have been published in program booklets. Major contributions by Academy members have been published in the Korean Journal of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease(Korea). However, as the official journals of both Academies are written in Korean and distributed domestically, the study results of our members reach few readers outside Korea.

To promote international communication by their members, the two Academies have decided to publish an official journal in English, and I was appointed Editor-in-Chief. Last December, to prepare for the publication of AAIR, the Academies established a committee composed of Drs. Choon Shil Lee, Hae-Sim Park, Jae Won Oh, Soo-Jong Hong, You Sook Cho, Jung Won Park, and Woo Kyung Kim.

AAIR will be published four times annually and will contain timely clinical, basic science, and experimental research papers; instructive case reports; and detailed examinations of state-of-the-art equipment and techniques useful for allergists, immunologists, and other physicians who deal with the clinical manifestations of allergies and pediatric respiratory disease. Original articles will cover topics such as allergy, immunology, respirology, and occupational allergy, and will include studies on allergens, the environment, and the latest therapies and treatment programs. AAIR will also publish solicited review articles on subjects of topical interest to researchers and physicians in the fields of allergy and immunology.

We are keen to develop AAIR as a leading journal in asthma, allergy, and clinical immunology. To enhance its academic quality, we have invited world-class professors and researchers to join the AAIR Advisory and Editorial Boards. We have also introduced internal enhancements involving board structure, office processing, manuscript centralization, impact factor registration, internal auditing, outcome review, and public relations, including more dynamic interactions with our publisher.

Preparing the first issue of AAIR has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience, which was greatly enhanced by the contributions of an outstanding team that included the preparatory committee for publication, Advisory Board members, Associate Editors, Editorial Board members, and a loyal and hard-working Editorial Office staff. It will be a privilege for me to serve as Editor-in-Chief of AAIR, and I am proud of what we have achieved collectively to date. On behalf of all the Editors, I look forward to excellent support and assistance from members of the Korean Academies as well as international allergy and clinical immunology societies.