Daegu City hosts Wellness Human Care business

The Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) has been chosen to spearhead the Wellness Human Care Business initiated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The project, which will start next month, will develop commercially viable life and health service models, with a total of 18.4 billion won to be invested until June 2016.

The DGIST, a leading agency for this project, formed a consortium with 17 other organizations and businesses, including Dalseong-gun, Seoul National University, Kyungpook National University and SKT. The DGIST-led consortium was chosen to lead the 2013 Future Technology and New Market Development Project.

The DGIST, in cooperation with the other consortium members, plans to develop self-diagnosis and prevention technologies for depression, provide services based on a personal wellness record (PWR), and build a wellness index and comprehensive service platform .

In particular, this project is expected to be the first step toward realizing the so-called creative economy being pushed by the current government. It will also greatly help our region preempt the new business area related to the concept of wellness.

“This project will allow us to lead the paradigm transition from treatment to prevention when dealing with illnesses in aging populations, provide tailored welfare through wellness convergence, preempt the future market by expanding the demand for wellness businesses and, eventually, bring economic benefits to our region,” Daegu City Mayor Kim Bum-il said.