About 50 global scholars and researchers from a dozen countries gathered in South Korea's southwestern town on Tuesday to discuss longevity and healthy aging as the world increasingly moves toward a super-aged society.
Their gathering includes research teams from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and the U.S. and comes as the 30th annual meeting of the International Centenarian Consortium (ICC) began its four-day run in Gochang, North Jeolla Province.
The ICC is a global academic network of research groups studying centenarians, aging and life expectancy.
This year's host venue of Gochang is known as one of South Korea's areas with the highest longevity, as the small county has a population of just 50,148, with people aged 60 or older accounting for 50.3 percent, while 6,927 residents are octogenarians and 1,220 are nonagenarians.
Among the highlights of the meeting will be findings from South Korean researchers who have conducted a long-term study of the country's centenarians over the past 25 years, examining various factors including genetic traits, diseases, living environments, eating patterns, diet and nutrition, and social networks.
They have also studied the area's so-called "longevity belt," which covers Damyang, Gurye, Gokseong, and Sunchang to assess relative longevity among residents there, citing factors such as strong community life and social solidarity, as well as the frequent consumption of fermented foods such as kimchi and soybean paste.
Yousin Suh, a professor from Columbia University known for her work on aging and longevity, is set to deliver her keynote speech, while French demographer Jean-Marie Robine will discuss global trends in human longevity.
Researchers from Japan, which is known for the longest longevity in Asia, are also expected to present long-term follow-up research on those aged 105 and older.
"The life stories of centenarians and relevant longevity data compiled by Chonnam National University Hospital would offer valuable insights for super-aged societies around the world," said Park Sang-chul, vice chairman of Genosis AI Healthcare, who serves as advisory chair of this year's ICC.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Business Daily 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지
