Distinguished guests from Europe and Asia! Welcome to Korea and congratulations on this important ASEM e-Health Seminar in Seoul. Also blessing this event, we are gathering here in the pleasant autumn season a season of thanksgiving and generosity plus prosperity for all.

Turning to todays topics, let me look at e-health from two perspectives- improved medical services and the birth of new industries.

Since penicillin was discovered in 1928, new antibiotics and medical treatments have extended the length and quality of human life. In Korea, the average lifespan for men today is 72.1 years and for women 79.5 years. These averages have improved by about 13 years over those of 30 years ago. While eternal life remains a dream of mankind, we continue to search for new solutions to disease and infirmities.

Despite the advanced state of medical development today, there are few major diseases that have been completely eradicated. According to United Nations statistics, the worlds population is now 6.3 billion and growing rapidly. At the same time, we are dealing with a vicious cycle of poverty and disease. In some countries, the AIDS rate among women has reached 40%.

We are also a victim of our technological advances and prosperity, as some diseases like SARS can spread throughout the world due to tourism and modern transportation systems.

Because health issues affect the happiness and future of us all, medical advances have become a major field of interest in the 21st century. Improved medical services and treatment systems mean a more healthy, happy, and productive life.

We are now in the process of establishing a new paradigm in the medical sector with e-heath at its center. One of our challenges at this stage is to achieve a clear understanding of e-health among the public based on the convergence of IT and medical technology. E-health is shifting the orientation of disease and injury treatment from the medical staff to the patient. It also is removing restrictions of time and place. Previously, patients had to depend on the doctors schedule and had to get to a hospital or clinic for treatment.

e-health also is opening an era for new value-added medical industries. The integration of information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology has huge potential for growth.

Peter Drucker in his book Next Society noted that e-commerce and medicine would soon offer the biggest markets. In addition, the World Electronics Information Annual estimated the current electronic medical equipment market in the U.S. alone has already crossed the US$13 billion level.

ASEM has scheduled this timely e-health seminar to discuss new approaches, new medical services and new industries related to the field. You will be addressing both the present and future of this extremely important area including the issue of protection of private information and the challenges faced in the development of new medicines and treatments. In particular, you will be talking about the best ways to bring medical services to the poor and to those living in remote areas.