South Korea
Korea enthusiastically supports high-tech and promising fields of sciences including stem cell research. The government, the media and the general public all share similarly welcoming views on such research despite persistent objections on embryonic stem cell research from a section of religious groups.
2nd International Collaborative Symposium on Stem Cell Research (Seoul) - September 18 - 20, 2008 Read more
4th KSSRC Symposium - November 05, 2008 Read more
A revision of the bioethics safety law and the enactment of germinal management law are currently submitted to National Assembly by the National Bioethical Commission. The original Bioethics law is effective since January 1 2005. It is indispensable that ethical dispute always follows the scientific research on human life, yet research cannot be suspended nor halted for the public and the future of the nation.
In the revised law, SCNT will be allowed using human eggs that are left over after IVF and use of hES cells (not derivation of them) for the research purpose must be approved from IRB (previously, permission from the Ministry of Health and Welfare was required for it). Thus, Korean government is relatively permissive on various forms of stem cell research from embryonic stem cells, SCNT, iPS generation and adult stem cells. Reproductive cloning is banned.
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Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST)
Basic research in Korea is primarily coordinated and funded under the MEST. Two agencies of MEST, KOSEF (Korea Science and Engineering Foundation, agency of former Ministry of Science and Technology) and KRF (Korea Research Foundation, agency of former Ministry of Education) are the main sources of competitive grants to academic and government research labs. KOSEF and KRF are expected to merge later this year as a massive restructuring to better serve and cultivate a science & technology-based society and other academic activities. The KRF supports exchange of junior scientists and outstanding student researchers through the International exchange program (as of individual grant).
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs (MIHWFA)
The MIHWFA focuses on program grants and support for specified areas of research (including public health and welfare).
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21st Century Frontier R&D Programs, Stem Cell Research Centre.
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Korea enthusiastically supports high-tech and promising fields of sciences including stem cell research. The government, the media and the general public all share similarly welcoming views on such research despite persistent objections on embryonic stem cell research from a section of religious groups.
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