S. Korea struggles with ineffective sperm banks

[Anchor]

Solving the issue of infertility is also very important in overcoming the low birth rate, but related systems are still inadequate.

In particular, the number of male infertility patients is also on the rise, and it has been pointed out that sperm banks in our country are virtually ineffective.

Reporter Lee Do-yoon investigated what the problem is.

[Report]

This is the sperm bank operated by Busan National University Hospital for 28 years.

It stores sperm for male infertility patients who need to receive sperm donations to have children.

To donate, one must pass a rigorous examination, but the reason why a variety of sperm must be stored is particularly important.

This is because it is necessary to find sperm that has traits most similar to the husband among infertile couples.

[Park Hyun-jun/Professor of Urology, Pusan National University Hospital: "Just as a bank needs to have a lot of deposits to have a large asset base and be able to lend more, a sperm bank also needs a variety of samples, for example, people who are 180cm tall, 170cm tall, 160cm tall…"]

However, this hospital has only 6 donors this year.

The number of sperm stored is also just 106.

[2016 Donor/Voice Altered: "Anyway, I felt a sense of fulfillment in helping those who are suffering and struggling in a part of society (to infertile couples). If there are opportunities in the future, I hope many people will do it…"]

As of 2022, there are over 110,000 male infertility patients in the country, and nearly 80% of them need to receive sperm donations to have children, but the actual procedures using donated sperm amount to only about 660 cases a year.

The bigger problem is that even if sperm is donated through a rigorous process, there is no integrated management system.

The Bioethics Act does not have any regulations on sperm donation, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Medical Association, and the Obstetrics and Gynecology Association operate different guidelines and conditions.

[Park Min-jung/Research Professor, Korea Institute for Public Sperm Bank: "It is difficult to trace who donated what sperm and what child was born from that sperm. This could lead to consanguinity or genetic diseases, so establishing a proper management system is an urgent priority."]

Among OECD member countries, South Korea is the only country without a public sperm bank system.

KBS News, Lee Do-yoon.