"Gathering Advanced Bio Capabilities"... Presidential Office's 'National Bio Committee' Launches in Full Swing

Resolution at the Cabinet Meeting on the 29th... Initiation of the Formation of the 'National Bio Committee'

The 'National Bio Committee,' a presidential advisory body that will gather national capabilities across all bio sectors including health and medical care, food, resources, energy, and environment, is being launched.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that following the approval of the 'Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the National Bio Committee (Presidential Decree)' at the Cabinet meeting on the 29th, they will officially begin forming the 'National Bio Committee.'

Recently, bio has emerged as a game changer that will transform the future from a global perspective, not only in health and medical care but also in economy and industry, energy and environment, and security. In this context, there is a need for nationwide leadership and a focal point to consolidate domestic capabilities in the advanced bio sector. To proactively respond to the global bio-economy era, Korea announced the 'Advanced Bio Initiative' last April and is concentrating public and private capabilities to innovate a major transformation of the national bio ecosystem in terms of research, industry, workforce, regulation, and governance.

The National Bio Committee will operate as a highest-level inter-ministerial governance body that presents visions and strategies through public-private cooperation across all bio sectors including health and medical care, food, resources, energy, and environment, and discusses and decides on various policies to strengthen sustainable national competitiveness such as bio economy and bio security.

The committee will consist of up to 40 members, including the chairperson, who is the President, and one vice-chairperson. Government members include 10 ministers from related ministries such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Office for Government Policy Coordination, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korean Intellectual Property Office, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and Personal Information Protection Commission, as well as the Presidential Office’s Chief of Science and Technology, and the 3rd Deputy Director of the National Security Office. Private members are individuals with extensive expertise and experience in the bio field appointed by the President, and the vice-chairperson is designated by the President from among the private members. The term of appointment for members is two years.

They will deliberate on matters including ▲establishment and improvement of major bio-related policies and systems ▲review and improvement of regulations that hinder the development and competitiveness of the bio sector ▲establishment and coordination of bio-related research and development strategies and major project investment plans ▲strengthening bio security capabilities ▲expansion of bio research and development and industrial infrastructure ▲establishment of public-private and public cooperation systems and support for international cooperation ▲linkage and planning among bio-related projects conducted by central administrative agencies ▲coordination of project plans for large-scale bio-related projects.

The government expressed expectations that "through the National Bio Committee, rapid linkage and cooperation among bio-related policies currently being conducted individually by various ministries will be possible, enabling the nationwide concentration of capabilities to transition to a bio economy and strengthen national competitiveness."