South Korean company to build primate farm in Khanh Hoa

South Korea’s Eco & Tech Co. Ltd and the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee have signed an agreement to build a primate farm for research purposes.

The farm has total investment of $11 million and sits on 18.7 ha in the south-central province’s Khanh Vinh district. It will become the first farm in Vietnam to meet contract research organization (CRO) standards, supplying monkeys for scientific research, Eco & Tech said. It is expected that the project will regularly provide quality primates such as long-tailed macaques and golden monkeys for scientific research.

The project is expected to provide specimens for scientific research both domestically and worldwide. It will be a highlight in implementing an investment program building a complete ecosystem, from providing animals and conducting paraclinical experiments to producing vaccines and modern medicines.

In the project’s second phase, the facility will have labs and research areas to study and manufacture medicines and vaccines. The farm is expected to make Khanh Hoa a leading destination for scientists and biotech businesses around the world.

Mr. Leo Seung Hyeok, President of Eco & Tech, said Khanh Vinh district was selected for the project because of its suitable geographical and climate conditions and large space. “We are carefully selecting and raising good quality primates, with the aim of investing in a high-tech biotechnology research complex in Khanh Hoa,” he added.

At the signing ceremony, Mr. Tran Hoa Nam, Deputy Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, acknowledged the traditional cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea, with Khanh Hoa experiencing 20 years of cooperation with the country. The province will create the best possible conditions for all South Korean investors to conduct projects, especially high-tech projects of great significance, enhancing cooperation and opening up new development opportunities.