Science ministry opens national bio-data project to all citizens

The science ministry said Wednesday that South Korea has opened its national integrated bio big-data program to all citizens, relaxing a rule that had limited participation to people who had completed state health checks.

The Ministry of Science and ICT, together with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, widened the eligibility criteria for the program, which collects health and genetic information donated by citizens and makes it available for research. Citizens who are not eligible for national health screening can take part after undergoing the testing procedures required by participating recruitment institutions.

The Health and Welfare Ministry, which oversees the program, held a bio-data donation event at Yonsei University's Severance Hospital in Sinchon on Thursday morning to publicize the relaxed rules and encourage public participation.

About 40 people, including Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyung, National AI Strategy Committee Vice Chairman Ha Jung-woo and committee members, Korea Health Industry Development Institute President Ko Sang-baek and Severance Hospital officials, gave consent and donated bio-data after undergoing blood collection and body measurement procedures.

At a policy meeting held after the event, participants shared the program's progress and its plan for a first data opening in November, and discussed policy directions for making the integrated bio big-data a foundation for future medical innovation in the AI era.

"The national integrated bio big-data is a public asset completed by the participation of each and every citizen," Jeong said. "Starting with the first opening in November, we will support the safe and wide use of the data so that the results of medical innovation return to the public."