• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.506-529
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• 2013

Nagoya protocol, alias ABS adopted in UN Convention on Biodiversity in 2010, has prompted governments in many countries to prepare strategic plans with regards to both the conservation of domestic bio-resources and the use of those with foreign origin. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of policy responses of Korean governments to ABS (Access and Benefit Sharing) and to make suggestions for a more integrative and efficient governance system for related ministries and institutions. Our analysis indicates that while most ministries have designated laws specifying various measures for the conservation of domestic bio-resources such as protected biological species or natural areas, just a couple of them have instituted measures governing the use of those resources and the benefit-sharing arising from it. We conclude that policy responses of Korean government are more focused on the conservation of bio-resources leaving the use of them ill-addressed. The study, thus, suggests that measures of 'bio-resource user country' be instituted in addition to those of 'bio-resource supplier country'. For instance, with regards to the use of bio-resources the roles and remits of related ministries had better be clarified and coordinated. The uncertainty over the explicit indication of 'place of origin' of bio-resources as a requirement of patent grant need to be cleared as well.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2012

Objectives : The 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10) was held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010, during which an international convention on access to genetic resources and conventional knowledge and sharing of benefits thereof was adopted. The Oriental Medicine field uses medicinal herbs based on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge about genetic resources. As such, if Korea, China and Japan compete over the ownership of such traditional knowledge, it will almost certainly trigger disputes over the payment of royalties among other problems. Notably, since the traditional medicine industry is closely related with China, it is highly likely this will adversely affect Korea's production of medicines using natural materials, including Korean herbal doctors' prescription, formulation and preparation of medicinal herbs. Methods : This study also analyzed the recent situation in Japan, which is the chair nation of the Nagoya Protocol and a member nation like Korea. It analyzed the Japanese people's awareness of the Nagoya Protocol and its strategies in the two years since its adoption, as well as the Guidelines for Genetic Resources, which were newly revised in 2012. Conclusions : The Nagoya Protocol requires the preparation of legislative and administrative measures and policies in order to pave the way for sharing the benefits deriving from the use of genetic resources and the relevant traditional knowledge with the providers of such resources. Thus, corresponding domestic legal measures need to be taken. Such measures include the refining of the procedure of accessing genetic resources, the designation of liaison offices, a competent agency and a supervisory agency, and the building of a system designed to issue internationally acknowledged certificates. It is also important to operate related professional consulting offices, as is the case in Japan. In addition, in the case of genetic resources, there is a need to seek multinational and bilateral cooperation including free trade agreements. Regarding traditional knowledge about genetic resources, measures need to be prepared to enable the three East Asian countries, namely, Korea, China and Japan, to commonly use ancient literature on Oriental medicine and to claim exclusive rights to such intellectual properties. Notably, with China now moving to expand the scope of traditional knowledge through the WIPO, Korea needs to prepare response measures.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.39-57
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• 2012

Analysis of the economic impact on Korean bioindustry companies was approached after Korea access to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity (hereinafter 'the Protocol') enters into force. Cost analysis of the economic impact is based on the size of bioindustry market, dependency ratio on genetic resources abroad, ABS (Access and Benefit Sharing) ratio for royalty ratio. Korean bioindustry companies would have had to pay extra ABS cost around 1.3-6.0 billion won for using genetic resources abroad, if the Protocol had entered into force in 2009. And this cost is estimated to be around 13.6 - 63.9 billion won in 2015. All ABS costs account only about less than 0.01% of total Korean bioindustry volume of target years. These show us that joining the Protocol will not significantly impact the bioindustry market in Korea. If the Protocol enters into force, genetic resources users have to pay PIC (Prior Informed Consent) and MAT (Mutually Agreed Terms) cost before accessing the genetic resources outside of their country, regardless of the accession status of the country. This ABS costs and terms on provided genetic resources will be determined by compliance between genetic resources users and providers. As a genetic resources provider, Korean bioindustry companies will have advantage over technology transfer agreements, royalties, licensing agreements, and taxes on profits from patents including traditional knowledge. Also, Korean bioindustry companies are expected to get various socio-economic benefits such as patent litigation and regulatory proceedings as a genetic resources provider. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of the Protocol that Korean bioindustry companies will face together, the socio-economic impact of the Nagoya Protocol on Korean bioindustry companies is negligible regardless of the accession status of Korea to the Nagoya Protocol.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2014

The pedigree data of 86,639 heads from six major swine breeding farms were investigated to check levels of inbreeding and effective population size of breeding stocks. The average rate of inbreeding was 1.04%, 0.87%, 3.17%, 1.05%, 3.23% and 3.33% for farms A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively. The average inbreeding rate was highest for F farm and lowest for B farm. In farms D and E, there were quite large numbers of immigrant animals per generation compared to other farms. The effective population sizes calculated from the average rate of inbreeding were distributed between 83.0 and 814.8. Specific values were 282.3, 225.5, 83.0, 814.8, 302.9 and 175.7 for farms A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively. The results showed that there was no cause for concern over the current inbreeding level of major swine breeding farm populations and the inbreeding level was within an acceptable range. In addition, internal sharing rather than importing pig is necessary to strengthen seed sovereignty.