By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
An international meeting on the standardization of condoms kicked off today on Jeju Island.
It is the first time for Korea to hold a conference about the contraceptive device.
About 100 experts from 50 nations have descended on Jeju Island for the 24th Meeting of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 157 on ``mechanical contraceptives'' which will be held through Friday, according to the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, an organization under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
The participants are from the World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, Population Services International and the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The ISO/TC 157 consists of 49 member countries and five international organizations.
During the meeting, participants will discuss standards of seven items including the quality standards of condoms for men and women and their test methods. The discussion will especially focus on standards of condoms for women and condoms with composite materials.
``Countries will compete with each other to control the international standards of contraceptives. To secure dominance in the condom market, they will compete with Korea, which possesses the largest portion in the world market,'' an official of the standard agency said.
Currently, the annual demand for condoms reaches 8 billion worth 1.1 trillion won, and Korean companies produce more than 30 percent of it, about 2.5 billion.
``We will define condoms as daily necessaries and promote condom use to prevent AIDS together with related organizations. We'll strengthen international standards on condoms' quality so that consumers can use them without anxiety,'' the agency official said.
Kim Sung-hoon, president of Unidus, the nation's biggest condom producer that has about 30 percent of the world's condom market, said the conference hosting means Korea's condom business has been recognized worldwide.
``I hope people will better recognize the contraceptive through the condom meeting. The conference will also help Korea's condom makers come up with measures for standardization as well as help Korea have more influence on the international condom market,'' Kim said.