The National Biobank of Korea opened Thursday in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, as part of efforts to upgrade the nation’s bio-medical research.

The National Institute of Health opened Asia’s largest bio-repository to contribute to future studies on stem cells and hard-to-treat diseases.

The three-story facility consists of a repository with the capacity to store more than 30 million glass bottles containing bio resources from more than 1 million people, cryogenic storage facilities that can maintain samples for more than 100 years and an all-computerized management system.

“We have gathered bio-resources from more than half a million people since 2008. This biobank will be able to store them in a safe and secure environment,” said Han Bok-Ghee, the head of the center.

The government as well as private corporations and organizations will be able to use the storage system for various projects including medical research.

“If we need a cure for Koreans, we will need samples and resources from Koreans. The bank will meet researchers’ needs,” Han said.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)