Mirae Cell Bio Participates in 'Jeju Heukwoo' Industrialization Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Mirae Selbio, an affiliate of Bion, is participating in the 'Jeju Heukwoo' industrialization project.

Mirae Selbio, in which Bion is the second largest shareholder, announced on the 28th that it will participate in the 'Mass Propagation and Industrialization of Jeju Heukwoo' project led by Professor Park Se-pil of Jeju National University’s Jeju Heukwoo Research Center. Professor Park Se-pil, the founder and executive advisor of Mirae Selbio, has continuously collaborated on the industrialization of Jeju Heukwoo.

The Jeju Heukwoo Research Center at Jeju National University held a press conference at Jeju National University on the same day and announced that the breed designation of Jeju Heukwoo will be implemented in the 'Cattle Carcass Grade Certification Report' as a research outcome of Jeju Heukwoo industrialization.

Jeju Heukwoo was used as a tribute during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties on three auspicious days (the king’s birthday, the first day of the lunar new year, and the winter solstice) and was an important sacrificial offering for national rites. However, during the Japanese colonial period, it was replaced by Japanese cattle due to Japan’s exploitation and ethnic eradication policies. In 1938, Japan enacted the Korean Cattle Standard Act, establishing a unified inspection regulation that designated Japanese cattle as black and Korean cattle as reddish-brown (yellow), thereby confiscating Jeju Heukwoo. Because of this, Jeju Heukwoo was only labeled as such on slaughter certificates, while in distribution and consumption stages, it was labeled as Hanwoo or beef cattle.

Led by Professor Park Se-pil, the Stem Cell Research Center at Jeju National University has mass-propagated Jeju Heukwoo since 2008 through somatic cell cloning and embryo transfer technologies. With support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry, the Jeju Heukwoo Research Center at Jeju National University was launched. During the research process, it was determined that consistency in Jeju Heukwoo labeling was necessary for the related industry, leading to industrialization research. Mirae Selbio, as a performing company of the Jeju Heukwoo industrialization research project, is conducting meat quality and genetic analysis of Jeju Heukwoo with Professor Park’s team, producing and selling industrialized products (Heukwoo processed goods, cosmetics), and contributing to the labeling of Jeju Heukwoo breed in the consumer distribution stage.

A Bion official said, "With this breed labeling achievement, trust in Jeju Heukwoo has increased, consumption has been promoted, and it has contributed to the development of the local community," adding, "Mirae Selbio is achieving results in various fields such as cell therapy development using stem cell technology, so future growth is expected."