Korea, like many countries, will undergo the challenges of an aging population.

To examine some of these challenges, the Italian Science and Technology section of the embassy is holding the 1st Korea-Italy Symposium on Genetic and Nongenetic Determinants of Successful Aging on Oct. 4.

The symposium will address the scientific issues of aging and longevity, focusing on the status and future developments of both countries’ aging population.

“Aging is nowadays among the most important issues with which we urgently have to deal at present time and we shall have to deal in the coming years,” said the Italian Embassy’s Science and Technology Attache Antonello Tata.

Sardinia, Italy, one of the four regions of the world that house the longest living inhabitants and also the most represented area for male longevity, will be contrasted with the Korean longevity case in women, which is rapidly increasing.

“This contrasting gender difference in longevity in these two countries, which will be analyzed in a broad spectrum of scientific terms, including genetics, lifestyles, family systems and eco-cultural characteristics, will illustrate many interesting and distinguishable features of human longevity and might facilitate the discovery of the solutions for the coming aging world,” explained Tata.

The symposium will be held in Gachon University, Incheon from 2-4 p.m.

For more information, contact Tata at the Italian Embassy at (02) 796-0491, sciencekor@yahoo.it or professor Park Sang-chul at blueocean@gachon.ac.kr, (032)-899-6025.

(yoav@heraldcorp.com)