AMOREPACIFIC Corporation (COO Shim Sang-bae) R&D Center was selected an Excellent Organization for its academic contributions to bioethics in recognition of its research effort and achievements in the quest to find viable alternatives to animal testing. The award ceremony was held August 21 at the 12th Conference of Korean Society of Alternatives to Animal Experiments, which is held at Sinpung Hall, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University located in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea.

AMOREPACIFIC Corporation stopped animal testing of cosmetic ingredients and finished goods in 2008 and declared a ban on unnecessary animal testing for cosmetics in May,2013 to prevent any additional animal testing among partner companies.

AMOREPACIFIC R&D Center has been constantly working on developing alternatives to animal testing.  has conducted research into safety testing in cooperation with the Korean Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (KoCVAM) under the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Center of Alternative Methods for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics (CAMSEC) and the Korean Society of Alternatives to Animal Experiments (KSAAE), invited foreign researchers and held seminars on finding alternatives to animal testing in various fields.

As a result, AMOREPACIFIC R&D Center has published 27 papers on research in this field, including 16 papers in Korean academic journals and 11 papers in international journals over the past 10 years. The research involves alternative methods for skin irritation, eye irritation and skin sensitization, which are considered important in cosmetic product safety testing and papers such as case studies of cosmetic ingredients and product evaluations based on this methodology.

"I think this award is a result of our consistent efforts to make safe products for customers. AMOREPACIFIC R&D Center will continue to take the lead in the research of alternatives to animal testingin Korea through ongoing cooperation with research institutions in Korea and abroad," said Han Sang-hoon, the director of AMOREPACIFIC R&D Center. 

The Korean Society of Alternatives to Animal Experiments (President Cheon Young-jin) was established in 2007 for research into alternatives to animal testing. Through its annual conference, it invites researchers in Korea and abroad to exchange information about research into alternatives to animal testing. Its 12th Annual Conference this year was held in association with the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and was themed around the Past, Present and Future of the 3Rs and Animal Alternative in Korea.