Primate experimentation on the rise in Asia: The Korea Times : Korea to Build Primate Experiment Center

The Korea Times : Korea to Build Primate Experiment Center: "Korea to Begin Primate Research

By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter

The South Korean government plans to build a primate experiment center soon inside Seoul National University (SNU) Hospital located in the country's capital.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Tuesday said the facility will take various clinical tests on interspecies organ transplantation from monkeys to humans after its completion early next year.

"The government and SNU Hospital seek to funnel 2.3 billion won ($2.4 million) to set up the primate center equipped with high-tech medical gears," said Kim Sung-su, deputy director at the ministry. "The 130-pyong (429 square meters) center will house roughly 50 monkeys for experiments on interspecies organ transplantation and will be expanded by 100 pyong in 2008," he added.

On the sideline of the clinical tests, Kim added the center will also work on stem cell research with the 50 monkeys, which will come from the state-backed Korea National Primate Research Center.