The Korean Neurosurgical Society published its first journal on October 31, 1972. At that time, Editor Lee In-soo, eight members of the publication committee and seven members of the edition committee participated in issuing the first volume, which contained 17 clinical articles and 10 case reports.

To accommodate ever-increasing papers contributed, the journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society, which had been issued twice a year from 1973 to 1981, increased the number of issues per year to four from 1982 and six from 1988, and began to issue monthly from 1989. As a result, the yearly number of papers published increased from around 150 in 1993 to around 220 in 2002. The number of copies also rose from 900 in 1993 to 1800 in 2003. As these data show, the role of the journal as the formal scientific journal of the Korean Neurosurgical Society is getting more important.

Since the foundation, the regulation for contribution has been improved several times and, as a result, the journal has established a highly systematic form as a scientific journal. The publication committee was launched in 1984 to improve the quality of the journal through the examination of articles according to regulations. In 1994, the National Library of Korea conferred an ISSN number, certifying its authority as a scientific journal in public.

From 1998 members in the editorial committee became a three-year-term position, and currently eleven members including the chief editor in the committee and eighty-one reviewers are working for prompt and fair evaluation of papers. From 2001, an editorial staff exclusive for the journal were employed for the continuity and expertness of work, and manuscript reception and evaluation results were computerized. The style of the journal also changed from 2002 as the cover included photographs and 'Letters to the Editor' was activated. The issue in July 2003 (34th volume No. 1) first inserted 'Inside Story' as a place to provide new information such as interviews and cultural news with the members.

The Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society has been continuing its effort to make an academic journal that is proper to refer to. From 2000, the homepage of the society allowed the members to refer to papers published in the journal, and from the second half of 2002, it became possible to search abstracts along with other domestic scientific papers on KoreaMed.

Until now the Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society has carried out its function as a ground for sharing important information among the society members, but it has not been easy for experts in other areas such as neurology or medicine. Its registration in KoreaMed means that anyone who can access the internet can search and view the abstracts, and the opening of the homepage has enabled the internet users to read the whole text. These are as meaningful as the online ISSN number conferred by the National Library of Korea in March 2003, opening a new age of true online journals.