One of the biggest obstacles to improving the welfare of the human-being is that millions of children are still dying of various infectious diseases worldwide. Many countries are producing vaccines to prevent infectious diseases, but the quantity of vaccines produced is not sufficient, and there is still urgent need for developing new and improved vaccines. It is lamentable that about 10 million children are still dying yearly due to shortage of vaccines, and non-development of appropriate vaccines against diseases. Some 8 million of them are children living in developing countries.

In 1990, the World Summit for Children at the United Nations adopted a resolution calling for concerted international efforts to promote children's health in developing countries. This eventually led to the creation of the Children's Vaccine Initiative (CVI), a coalition of five organizations, including the United Nations Development Program, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children Fund, the World Bank, and the Rockefeller Foundation.

As part of this initiative, UNDP decided to create the International Vaccine Institute, which will be devoted to research and development of new vaccines that will be introduced to poor children in developing countries, and sought to find its host country. Six countries began fierce competition to host the new research institution, seeing that it would become a humanitarian organization that would improve welfare of the international community, and make great contribution to the fast development of biotechnology in their countries.

At last, UNDP chose Korea as the IVI's home in June 1994. Korea was selected in part because the government expressed strong will to become its host, and because the IVI was expected to get extensive administrative supports from Seoul National University, Korea's premier university where the IVI was to be located. It was also because Korea was superior to competitors in the level of science and technology development, and the capability to produce vaccines.

Former President Kim Young-sam stated ¡°In order to help eradicate diseases among children around the world, the Republic of Korea is building an international vaccine institute in Korea with help from the U.N. Development Program,¡± in his speech to commemorate the establishment of the United Nations General Assembly on October 22, 1995. By doing so, he pledged to the world that Korea was determined to support the IVI.

As the IVI's host country, Korea provides up to 30 percent of the institute's operating budget, as well as its headquarters building and a portion of its laboratory facilities. The rest 70 percent of its operating funding should come from overseas.

The IVI is the first international organization headquartered in the Republic of Korea. When it fully matures, it will comprise about 200 scientists and administrative staff, including some 60 distinguished scientists from abroad, and visiting scientists, as well as young Korean scientists.

Korea has achieved remarkable economic growth with help from the international community during and after the Korean War. It would be really heartening, if Korea could help save children in poor countries through the IVI with newly developed vaccines, and thereby pay back part of what it owes to the world. Especially it is really privileged that Korea, as the IVI's host, can significantly enhance its capacity and competitiveness in research and development of biotechnology, which is a key future industry. Because of these reasons, some countries competing with Korea for economic development envy Korea as the host country of the IVI, and are vigilant of the IVI's growth.

In order to make the IVI grow to one of the world's premier research institutions as quickly as possible, all citizens of Korea should pay close attention to the institute, and provide unsparing supports to its activities. Against this backdrop, about 40 leaders in Korea, including former Prime Ministers, joined hands to inaugurate the Korea Support Committee for the IVI in May 1998. The Korea Support Committee was incorporated as legal entity in 1998, and became a tax-exempt organization in October 2000.

The Korean government provided the IVI's headquarters building and contributes part of its operating budget. However, given that it costs about $100 million and takes 10 years to develop a new vaccine, it would be essential that the private sector join forces to extend assistance to help the IVI reach its goals.

Particularly, dynamic research activities of the IVI will not only contribute to the development of biotechnology in Korea, but will also help the country to become a major player in vaccine production. Therefore, it would be highly desirable that the academia, industry, and society as a whole join forces to help the institute grow. We expect your continuous interest and wholehearted support to the IVI.

May 2005

Ho-wang Lee

President

Korea Support Committee for the IVI