S. Korea to create road map to develop green biotech industry

홍남기 "그린바이오 핵심 기술개발 로드맵 연내 마련"

South Korea is working on a long-term plan to nurture green biotech as part of the government's Korean Green New Deal Projects.
Eum Ji-young has more.

South Korea is to come up with a road map within this year for developing core biotechnology for Korean Green New Deal Projects.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, in a meeting with economy related ministers on Monday, discussed ways to upgrade the country's bio industry and promote Korea's "green" growth.

"The government will support all phases of nurturing the green biotechnology industry so that it can emerge as a promising industry to drive the economy in the future."

To do that he said, South Korea will concentrate on 5 core fields including microbiomes, alternative food, and veterinary medicines.
He added that the government will draw up a long-term plan within this year.

"The government is to create related infrastructure including an agricultural super-computing center that utilizes big data by 2023."

Under the plan, 2,000 biotech personnel will be trained per year to increase the bio-industry talent pool.
The government plans to implement a Korean version of the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training which is a global training center to train bioprocessing workers.
The government also plans to train more people to develop new medicine and precision medicine.
In July, the South Korean government unveiled its blueprint to invest over 130 billion U.S. dollars by 2025 to create 1-point-9 million jobs in the Korean New Deal which has two main pillars "digital" and "green".
In regards to the Green New Deal, the government plans to boost the country's industrial competitiveness, but at the same time protecting the environment.
Eum Ji-young, Arirang News.